ii 


3 

I 

1 


Columbia  College  Library 

Madison  Av.  and  49tli  St.  New  York. 

Beside  the  main  topic  this  book  also  treats  of 
Subject  No.  On  page  \  Subject  No.  On  page 


O  L1SRAR1ES  Q 
U 


\  JSSM  ^ 


THE 

PRACTICAL  NATURE 

OF     THE 

DOCTRINES    AND    ALLEGED    REVELATIONS 

CONTAINED     IN     THE     WRITINGS     OF 

TOGETHER    WITH 
THE  PECULIAR  MOTIVES  TO  CHRISTIAN  CONDUCT  THEY  SUGGEST. 

IN 

A  LETTER 

TO  HIS  GRACE  THE  LORD  ARCHBISHOP  OF  DUBLIN, 

OCCASIONED     BY 

HIS     OBSERVATIONS    ON     THAT     SUBJECT    IN    HIS     "ESSAYS    ON    SOME    OF    THE 
PECULIARITIES    OF     THE     CHRISTIAN    RELIGION," 

BY  THE. REV.  AUGUSTUS  CLISSOLD/ M.  A., 

FORMEELY   OF    EXETER    COLLEGE,    OXFORD. 


"It  is  recommended  to  take  a  comprehensive  view  of  any  question  that  may  t)3 
ngitated,  instead  of  being  exclusively  occupied  in  answering  e\ery  cavil  that  miy 
be  brought  forward." — Whately''s  Barnpton  Lectures, 

"  Our  province  is  virtue  and  religion,  life  and  manners;  the  science  of  improving 
the  temper  and  making  the  heart  better." — Bishop  Butler's  Sennon  upon  the  Ignorance 
qf  Man.  ■ 


FIRST    AMERICAN,    FROM   THE    LONDON  EDITION. 

BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  OTIS  CLAPP,   121  WASHINGTON  ST.. 
1  839. 


0^ 


Maknins  akd  FishePv,  Printers; 

8  Consrress  Street Boston. 


TO    THE    READER 


In  the  ''Essays  on  some  of  the  peciiharities  of  the 
Christian  Religion,"  by  His  Grace  the  present  Arch- 
bishop of  Dublin,  occurs  the  following  passage  relative  to 
the  receivers  of  the  writings  of  Swedenborg: — "Though 
his  followers  insist  much  on  the  importance  of  beheving 
in  this  pretended  revelation,  it  would,  1  believe,  be  diffi- 
cult for  them  to  state  even  any  one  point  on  which  a 
man  is  called  upon  to  alter  either  his  conduct,  his  mo- 
tives, or  his  moral  sentiments,  in  consequence  of  such 
belief.  The  system,  furnishes  abundant  matter  of  faith 
and  food  for  curiosity,  but  has  Httle  or  no  intelligible  re- 
ference to  practice." 

In  this  statement  there  appears  to  be  a  slight  obscurity. 
It  might  not,  perhaps,  be  easy  at  first  to  determine  wheth- 
er the  passage  implied,  that  there  was  no  difference  be- 
tween the  practical  principles  of  Swedenborg  and  those 
commonly  received,  or  that,  as  a  whole,  his  writings  had 
little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to  any  practice  whatever. 
A  gentleman,  it  appears,  conceiving  that  the  latter  was 
meant,  wrote  to  the  Archbishop  to  the  effect,  that  he  pre- 
sumed His  Grace  labored  under  some  misapprehension; 
for  that,  so  far  from  having  no  intelligible  reference  to 
practice,  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  advocated  princi- 
ples which  many  distinguished  members  of  the  Church 
of  England  themselves  acknowledged  to  be  practical.  So 
far  as  the  argument  went,  it  appears  to  be  just  and  appro- 
priate. 

His  Grace's  answer,  as  appended  in  the  note  inserted 
in  the  Fourth  Edition  of  the  Essays,  seems  to  leave  the 
question  where  it  was;  except  that,  instead  of  using  the 
term  system,  and  thereby  implying  that,  as  a  whole,  Swe- 


O 


2 1  3  0  B 


IV 


denborg's  theological  writings  were  non-prar.tical,  a  dis- 
tinction appears  to  be  drawn  between  Swedenborg's  doc- 
trines and  revelations,  as  thougb  the  former  were  practi- 
cal, and  the  latter  not  so.  Accordingly,  this  is  the  point 
of  view  in  which  His  Grace's  objections  are  considered 
in  the  ensuing  Letter;  for,  whatever  may  have  been  the 
intention  of  the  Author,  this  I  believe  to  be  the  fair  mean- 
ing of  his  words.  My  design,  however,  on  the  present 
occasion,  has  been  rather  to  take  a  comprehensive  view 
of  the  subject,  than  to  answer  the  particular  statements 
of  any  individual  writer.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  the 
Essays  regard  the  revelations  of  Swedenborg  as  non- 
practical,  and  hence,  so  far,  a  delusion;  that  this,  also,  is 
an  opinion  not  unfrequently  entertained  by  others.  I  have, 
therefore,  viewed  Swedenborg's  writings,  with  an  espe- 
cial relation  to  their  practical  tendency;  first,  treating  of 
his  Doctrines;  secondly,  of  his  Interpretation  of  the 
Word  of  God;  and,  lastly,  of  his  supposed  Intercourse 
with  the  Spiritual  World.  With  respect  to  ordinary 
misconceptions  and  misrepresentations  of  the  principles 
contained  in  the  theological  works  of  Swedenborg,  it  has 
been  usual  to  pass  them  over  unnoticed;  but  where  any 
thing  like  argument  is  advanced,  and  more  particularly  by 
a  person  of  influential  opinions,  the  case  is  different;  and 
it  may  become  advisable  for  a  receiver  of  Swedenborg's 
writings  to  give  a  reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  him. 

May  the  reader  peruse  the  following  observations,  with 
the  same  spirit  in  which  the  audior  has  endeavored  to 
write  them;  namely,  with  an  earnest  desire  of  that  truth 
which  alone  is  able  to  make  him  wise  unto  salvation. 

With  respect  to  the  passages  in  His  Grace's  Essays, 
more  or  less  alluding  to  the  subject  in  question,  to  quote 
them  all  would  be  to  quote  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
Essays  themselves;  it  cannot,  therefore,  be  expected  that 
they  should  all  be  adduced  on  the  present  occasion;  hence, 
if  the  reader  is  desirous  of  being  more  fully  acquainted 
with  them,  he  is  referred  to  the  original  works.  In  or- 
der, however,  to  supply  him  with  a  faithful  idea  of  the 
general  argument  urged  in  the  Essays,  it  may  be  well  to 
subjoin  the  following  extracts,  which  are  those  which  more 
imuiediately  gave   rise  to  the  present  letter,   and  which 


more  pointedly  allude  to  Svvedenborg's   doctrines  and  al- 
leged revelations. 

Essays  (first  series)  o.x  Some  of  the  Peculiarities   of 
THE  Christian  Religion.     Fourth  Edition,  Revised. 

extracts. 

P.  218.  "Thouo-h  enough  is  revealed  to  us  in  Scripture 
to  instruct  us  in  our  duty,  and  to  incite  us  to  the  practice  of 
it,  there  is  much  also  that  is  not  revealed,  which  many,  at 
least,  would  be  eagerly  desirous  to  know.  It  suppresses 
much  of  what  some  vainly  seek  to  find  in  it,  or  complain  of 
not  finding, — which  all  pretended  revelations  proi'ess,  and 
might  be  expected  to  profess,  to  make  known, — and  which  a 
true  revelation,  and  none  but  a  true  one,  might  be  expected 
to  omit." 

P.  220.  ''The  peculiar  feature  (of  the  Christian  Reli- 
gion) which  I  allude  to,  consists  in  this;  that  not  only  of  the 
designs  and  attributes  of  the  Almighty,  there  are  some 
which  he  has  vouchsafed  to  make  known  to  man  by  revela- 
tion, and  others  which  he  has  thought  fit  to  keep  secret; 
but  also  those  which  are  revealed,  have  some  relation  to 
man, — some  reference  to  human  conduct, — and  are,  in 
some  way  or  other,  of  a  practical  character. 

"Now,  since  it  is  undeniable  that  there  have  been,  and 
are,  many  systems  of  false  religion  in  the  world,  all  of 
which  profess  to  reveal  something,  as  to  the  nature  of  God 
and  his  dealings  with  his  creatures,  this  circumstance  is 
frequently  dwelt  upon  by  those  who  studiously  endeavor  to 
confound  all  religions  together,  with  a  view  to  hold  up  all 
to  equal  contempt,  as  so  many  vaiious  systems  of  impos- 
ture and  delusion.  And  others,  again,  though  they  do  not 
abjjolutely  reject  our  religion,  are  yet  so  far  misled  by  this 
fallacy,  as  to  regard  it  with  indifference.  It  will  be  worth 
while,  therefore,  to  examine  attentively  the  point  above 
mentioned;  I  mean,  the  exclusively  practical  character 
which  I  have  attributed  to  our  revelation;  and  to  inquire 
more  fully,  whether  it  is  likely  to  constitute  an  important 
and  distinguishing  feature  in  any  professed  revelation  which 
may  possess  it;  in  other  words,  whether  the  abstaining  from 
points  of  mere  curiosity,  be  a  probable  mark  of  a  true  revela- 
tion. 

"This   inquiry    falls  naturally   under  two  heads;    first, 
whether  or  not  a  pretended  revelation  is  likely  to  contain 
any  matters   which  are   interesting  to  curiosity  alone,  and 
1* 


VI 

have  no  reference  to  practice;  and,  secondly,  whether  this 
is  likely  to  be  the  case  with  a  true  revelation. 

"  The  former  of  these  questions  we  need  not  hesitate,  I 
think,  to  answer  in  the  affirmative. 

"That  the  desire  of  knowledge,  for  its  own  sake,  is  apart 
of  our  nature,  is  a  truth  so  obvious,  as  hardly  to  need  being 
insisted  on.  For  though  it  is  common  to  hear  men  imply  the 
contrary,  by  asking  contemptuously,  in  the  case  of  some 
pursuit  for  which  they  happen  to  have  no  relish, — 'What  is 
the  use  of  learning  this  or  that? — What  advantage  is  to  be 
derived  from  such  and  such  a  branch  of  knowledge?' — yet 
the  very  same  persons,  if  some  discovery  be  the  next  mo- 
ment announced  to  them,  of  a  different  kind,  which  may 
happen  to  fall  in  with  their  own  taste,  will  probably  be  found 
to  manifest  the  liveliest  interest,  and  the  most  eager  curios- 
ity, even  where  tliey  would  be  at  a  loss  to  point  out  what 
practical  benefit  they  are  likely  to  derive  from  it.  So  far, 
indeed,  is  utility  from  being  the  sole  standard  of  value  in 
men's  minds,  that  even  such  knowledge  as  is  useful,  is  in 
general  sought  more  for  its  own  sake,  than  with  a  view  to 
utility;  nor  are  men  ever  more  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  it, 
than  when  they  have  no  further  object  to  occupy  them. 
'Accordingly,'  as  is  justly  observed  by  an  ancient  w^riter, 
who  well  understood  human  nature,  'when  we  are  at  leisure 
from  the  cares  of  necessary  business,  then  are  we  eager  to 
see,  to  hear,  to  learn  something;  regarding  the  knowledge 
of  what  is  hidden,  or  of  what  is  admirable,  as  an  essential 
ingredient  of  happiness.'*  He  is  quite  right  in  the  cir- 
cumstances fixed  on  as  most  exciting  our  interest;  things 
hidden,  and  things  admirable,  being  what  men  especially 
covet  to  know.  Now,  nothing  can  be  more  hidden,  nothing 
more  admirable,  than  the  nature,  and  the  works,  of^  God, — 
the  origin  and  constitution  of  the  world  we  inhabit — of  the 
rest  of  that  vast  system  of  which  it  forms  a  part — and  of 
man  himself — the  nature  of  various  orders  of  beings  which 
]nay  exist,  superior  to  man,  and  of  the  Supreme  Being 
Himself  Each  of  these  subjects  suggests  innumerable  mat- 
ters of  inquiry,  whose  grandeur  fills  the  most  exalted,  and 
whose  difliculty  baffles  the  most  intelligent,  mind.  Is  it  not, 
then,  natural,  that  men  should  eagerly  seek  for  some  su- 
perhuman means  of  information,  on  subjects  so  interesting 
to  their  curiosity,  and  so  much  beyond  their  unaided  pow- 
ers?    And  is  it  not,  consequently,  to  be  expected,  that  both 

*  Clc2ro  de  Officiis,  b.  I, 


Vll 

the  devices  of  an  impostor,  and  the  visions  of  an  enthusi- 
ast, should  abound  in  food  for  this  curiosity? — that  the  one 
should  seek  for  proselytes  by  professing  to  communicate 
what  men  are  so  desirous  of  knowing;  and  that  the  other 
should  be  allogethcr  occupied  with  those  qricsiions  to  which 
the  imagination  of  men  is  so  natuially  turned,  till  a  diseas- 
ed fancy  mistakes  its  day-dreams  for  a  revelation? 

"  Such,  I  say,  is  what  we  might  be  prepared,  from  the 
nature  of  man,  to  expect:  and,  if  we  consult  history,  we 
shall  find  our  conjecture  fully  borne  out  by  facts.  In  all 
those  other  religions,  and  in  all  those  modincation&s  of  our 
own,  which  wc  attribute  to  the  imagination  or  to  the  arti- 
fi3e  of  man,  the  pretended  revelations  not  only  abound  with 
matters  of  speculative  curiosity,  unconnected  with  practice, 
but  are  sometimes  even  principally  made  up  of  them,  so  as 
to  appear  to  have  for  their  chief  object  the  communication 
of  knowledge  concerning  heavenly  things,  for  its  own 
sake. 

"To  illustrate  this  by  a  full  examination  of  all  the  vari- 
ous systems  of  false  revelation,  would  be  manifestly  both 
tedious  and  unnecessary:  tedious,  inasmuch  as  even  abiief 
sketch  of  them  would  occupy  a  considerable  volume;  and 
unneccF^sary,  for  most  readers,  since  a  {ew  moments'  re- 
collection will  enable  them  to  recall,  from  their  previous 
knowledge,  enough  to  confirm,  to  a  great  degree  at  least, 
the  remark  which  has  just  been  made.  And  the  conclusion 
will  be  more  strengthened,  the  further  the  inquiry  is  pur- 
sued." 

After  speaking  of  the  mythologies  of  the  Greeks,  Ro- 
mans, and  Hindoos,  and  of  the  imposture  practised  by- 
Mahomed,  His  Grace  observes,  with  regard  to  the  Ko- 
ran, p.  227, — 

"It  would  be  wearisome  and  disgusting  to  introduce  such 
specimens  as  would  fully  illustrate  what  has  been  asserted; 
though  it  is  scarcely  possible  adequately  to  describe  in 
words  how  forcibly  it  will  be  impressed  on  the  mind,  on  ac- 
tual perusal,  that  the  prevailing  character  of  the  book  in 
question  is  such  as  has  been  described.  But  those  who 
will  be  at  the  pains  to  examine  this  and  other  pretended 
revelations,  with  an  express  view  to  the  subject  of  our  pres- 
ent inquiry,  w^ill  meet  with  abundant  instances  to  confirm 
what  has  been  here  advanced;  more  than  they,  perhaps^ 
are  aware  of,  if  they  have  a  mere  general  acquaintance 
with  those  systems j  but  have  never  considered  them  with 


Vlll 

reference  to  the  particular  point  now  before  us.  Such  an 
inquirv,  it  may  be  safely  ailirmed,  would  be  profitable  and 
satisfactory,  if  fully  pursued;  and  would  communicate  a 
lively  interest  to  the  perusal  even  of  the  most  absurd  reve- 
ries of  heathen  mythology,  and  of  the  Koran.  But  it  will 
be  suflicient  in  this  place  to  have  suggested  some  of  the 
principal  points,  towards  which  the  inquiry  should  be  di- 
rected." 

After  alluding  to  the  fables  of  the  Talmud,  and  the  le- 
gends of  the  Greek  and  Romish  churclies,  His  Grace 
observes,  p.  229, — 

"Lastly,  to  advert  to  a  more  recent  instance,  look  to  the 
visions  of  the  pretended  prophet  Sv»edenborg;  himself  the 
dupe,  as  is  generally  supposed,  of  his  own  distempered  fan- 
cy. It  is  well  known,  that  he  professed  to  have  been  fa- 
vored with  most  copious  and  distinct  revelations, — to  have 
visited  the  celestial  abodes,  and  to  have  conversed  with  va- 
rious orders  of  beings;  of  all  which  he  gives  minute  de- 
scriptions. Yet,  though  his  followers  insist  much  on  the 
importance  of  believing  in  this  pretended  revelation,  it 
would,  I  believe,  be  difficult  for  them  to  state  even  any  one 
point,  in  which  a  man  is  called  upon  to  alter  either  his  con- 
duct, his  motives,  or  his  moral  sentiments,  in  consequence 
of  such  belief.  The  system  furnishes  abundant  matter  of 
faith,  and  food  for  curiosity;  but  has  little  or  no  intelligible 
reference  to  practice." 

(Note.  "I  received,  sometime  ago,  afiiendly  communica- 
tion from  a  person  of  this  persuasion,  referring  to  the  above 
passage,  and  complaining  of  the  current  misrepresenta- 
tions respecting  the  doctiines  of  the  Swcdenborgians.  He 
set  forth,  in  a  brief  outline,  their  fundamental  points  of 
faith,  and  principles  of  duty;  which  were,  as  he  studious- 
ly pointed  out  to  me, — essentially  in  agreement  with  what 
is  held  by  our  own  church. 

"From  his  own  account,  therefore,  it  appears,  (as  I  point- 
ed cut  in  reply)  that  the  point  ;9r,c«/m7"  to  that  sect, — the 
supposed  revelation  to  their  founder,  in  which  they  believe, 
is  entirely  of  a  non-practical  character.  Now  this  is  pre- 
cisely what  I  was  maintaining. 

"I  was  not  designing  any  attack  on  that,  or  on  any  other 
religious  persuasion;  nor  do  I  deny  its  including  the  fun- 
damentals of  Christianity.  I  had  in  view  only  what  distin- 
giiishes  the  followers  of  Swedenborg  from  the  rest  of  the 


IX 

Christian  world,  viz:  their  faith  in  a  revelation,  which  the 
rest  hold  to  be  a  delusion.  The  truth  or  falsity  of  that  rev- 
elation,— a  qiliestion  on  which,  of  course,  I  must  differ  from 
them, — is  one  which  I  had  no  intention  of  discussing.  But 
that,  whether  true  or  false,  it  is  at  least  distinguished  from 
the  revelation  contained  in  the  Gospel,  by  leading  to  no 
practical  conclusions,  is  a  point  it  seems  on  which  both 
parties  are  agreed.  And  this  is  the  only  point  I  had  in 
view.") 

"Such,  then,  being  the  character  of  false  revelations, 
what  may  we  expect  from  a  true  one?  Since  both  reason 
and  experience  show,  that  it  is  the  obvious  policy  of  an  im- 
postor, and  the  most  natural  delusion  of  a  visionary,  to  treat 
much  of  curious  and  hidden  matters,  relative  to  the  Divine 
operations,  beyond  what  is  conducive  to  practical  instruc- 
tion, it  should  next  be  considered,  whether  the  case  is  like- 
ly to  be  the  same  with  a  real  revelation;  whether  that  also 
is  likely  to  be  much  occupied  in  ministering  to  speculative 
curiosity.  Now,  this  question  we  may,  on  good  grounds, 
answer  in  the  negative:  for  the  general  rule  of  Providence 
evidently  is,  that  man  should  be  left  to  supply  his  own  wants, 
and  seek  knowledge,  both  piactical  and  speculative,  by  the 
aid  of  those  faculties  which  have  been  originally  bestowed 
on  him,  A  revelation  is  an  extraordinary  and  miraculous 
exception  to  this  general  rule;  and  it  seems,  therefore,  rea- 
sonable to  conclude,  that  it  should  be  bestowed  for  some 
very  important  purpose.  Now  the  knowledge  of  our  duty, 
beyond  what  is  discoverable  by  unaided  reason, — instruc- 
tion how  we  arc  to  serve  God,  and  obtain  his  favor, — does 
seem  a  sufliciently  important  purpose;  but  not  so,  the  mere 
gratification  of  curiosity.  The  desire  of  knowledge  is,  in- 
deed, implanted  in  us  by  our  Creator;  and  the  pursuit  of 
it  is  an  innocent,  and  honorable,  and  highly  pleasurable 
employment  of  our  faculties:  but  there  is  a  sufficiently  wide 
field  of  investigation  within  the  reach  of  our  natural  facul- 
ties. There  seems  no  reason  why  the  Almighty  should  work 
a  miracle  for  the  increase  of  our  mere  speculative  knowl- 
edge; not  to  mention  that  our  gratification  consists  more 
in  the  pursuit  and  acquirement ,  by  our  ov/n  efforts,  of  such 
knowledge,  than  in  the  possession  of  it. 

"  Wliatever,  therefore,  it  concerns  us  practically  to 
know,  with  a  view  to  the  regulation  of  the  heart  and  con- 
duct,— whatever  God  requires  us  to  be,  and  to  do,  in  order 
to  become  acceptable  in  his  sight — this,  it  seems  consonant 
to  his  justice  and  goodness  to  declare  to  us  by  revelation^ 


M'hen,  of  ourselves,  %ve  are  incompetent  to  discover  it;  but 
that  He  should  miraculously  reveal  any  thing  besides  this, 
for  the  gratification  of  an  inquisitive  mind,  there  seems  no 
good  reason  to  expect. 

"It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  the  trial  of  our  faith,  hu- 
mility, and  candor,  in  assenting,  on  sufficient  authority,  to 
mysterious  doctrines,  is  a  worthy  and  fit  purpose,  for 
which  such  doctrines  may  be  revealed.  This  is,  undoubt- 
edly, true;  and  the  purpose  may  even  be  fairly  reckoned  a 
practical  one,  since  so  good  a  moral  effect  results  from  such 
belief.  If,  therefore,  none  of  the  doctrines  necessary  to 
be  revealed  for  other  practical  purposes,  were  of  such  a  mys- 
terious character,  as  to  serve  for  trials  of  faith  also,  we 
might,  perhaps,  expect  that  some  things  should  be  propos- 
ed to  our  belief,  solely  and  singly  for  this  latter  purpose. 
But  if  both  objects  can  be  fully  accomplished  by  the  same 
revelation, — if  our  faith  be  sufficiently  tried  by  the  admis- 
sion of  such  mysterious  doctrines  as  are  important  for  oth- 
er practical  ends  also, — then,  the  revelation  of  any  further 
mysteries  which  lead  to  no  such  practical  end,  is  the  less 
necessary,  and,  consequently,  the  less  to  be  expected. 

"What  then  is,  in  this  respect,  the  character  of  our  re- 
ligion? It  may  safely  be  asserted,  that  it  is  precisely  such 
as  we  have  seen  a  true  revelation  might  be  expected  to  be: 
that  it  teaches  us  what  is  needful  for  us  to  know,  but  little 
or  nothing  besides;  that  the  information  it  imparts  is  such, 
as  concerns  the  regulation  of  our  character  and  practice, 
but  leaves  our  curiosity  unsatisfied. 

"Those  who  are  sufficiently  conversant  with  the  Scrip- 
tures, will  at  once  recognize  this  as  a  characteristic  fea- 
ture of  them. 

"To  prove  the  point  in  question  as  fully  as  might  be  done, 
would  require  a  detailed  examination  of  the  whole  Bible; 
and  such  an  examination,  diligently  conducted  with  a  view 
to  the  particular  point  before  us,  is  one  which  may  be  re- 
commended, not  merely  to  professed  theological  students, 
but  (since  it  calls  for  no  great  ingenuity  or  learning)  to 
Christian  readers  in  general;  as  neither  an  unprofitable 
nor  unpleasing  inquiry,  to  him  who  delights  in  contrasting 
the  wisdom,  and  the  dignified  simplicity  ofGod'sWord,  with 
the  idle  and  arrogant  pretensions  of  human  fraud  and  folly." 

P.  2.50,  "He  (the  infidel)  may  ask  them  (Christians,) 
how  it  came  to  pass,  that  no  one  of  our  sacred  writers  has 
given  a  full,  minute,  and  engaging  account  of  all  that  is 
(according   to  him)  to  take   place  at  the  end  of  the  world; 


XI 


of  all  the  interesting  particulars  of  the  day  of  judgment; 
of  the  new  bodies  with  which  men  will  arise;  and  of  'the 
glories  that  shall  be  revealed'  in  heaven;  or  has  given  any 
account  at  all  (or  at  least  any  from  which  a  decisive  con- 
clusion can  be  drawn,)  of  the  condition  in  which  men  are  to 
remain  during  the  interval  between  death  and  the  resurrec- 
tion? It  is  plain,  that  nothing  could  have  been  more  grali- 
fijing  to  the  curiosity  of  all  who  had  an  interest  in  the  sub- 
ject; nothing  more  likely  even  to  allure  fresh  converts, 
than  a  glowing  description  of  the  joys  of  heaven.  It  would 
have  been  easily  bdieved,  too,  by  those  who  gave  credit  to 
the  writer,  as  it  is  plain  Paul  supposed  the  Corinthians  did; 
— it  would  have  been  very  easy,  again,  for  an  impostor  to 
give  a  loose  to  his  fancy,  in  inventing  such  a  description; 
and  to  ?LXi*  enthusiast  it  would  have  been  unavoidable:  he 
who  was  passing  off  his  day-dreams  for  revelations,  on  him- 
self as  well  as  on  others,  v/ould  have  been  sure  to  dream 
largely  on  such  a  subject.  Why,  then,  did  not  Paul  do  any 
thing  of  the  kind?  I  answer,  because  he  was  not  an  impos- 
tor, nor  an  enthusiast,  but  taught  only  what  had  been  ac- 
tually revealed  to  him,  and  v/hat  he  was  commissioned  to 
reveal  to  others." 

P.  "IbQ,  "In  this  present  life  we  should  carefully  guard 
against  the  too  prevailing  error  of  presumptuous  inquiries, 
and  attempts  to  explain  unrevealed  mysteries;  an  error 
which  generally  leaves  men  the  more  bewildered  and  mis- 
taken, the  greater  their  ingenuity  and  diligence. 

"Little  as  there  is  revealed  to  us  of  the  condition  of  our 
first  parents  in  paradise,  thus  much  (and  let  Christians 
never  forget  it)  is  plainly  taught  us,  that  they  fell  from  their 
happy  state  through  the  desire  oi"  forbidden  knowledge.  It 
was  by  seeking  from  men  to  become  'as  gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil,'  that  they  incurred  that  loss,  to  retrieve  which 
God  was  made  Man,  in  Christ  Jesus;  v/ho  'took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  humbled  himself  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross,  to  redeem  us,  the  children  of 
Adam,'  whom  ivant  of  humility  had  ruined;  and  to  open  to 
us  the  gates  of  eternal  life,  which  presumptuous  transgres- 
sion had  shut.  How,  then,  can  we  hope  to  enter  in,  if  we 
repeat  the  very  transgression  of  Adam,  in  seeking  to  be 
wise  above  that  which  is  written?  By  inquisitive  pride  v/as 
immortal  happiness  forfeited;  and  the  path  by  which  we 

*  In  this  Essay,  Mahomed  is  the  only  impostor,  and  Swedenborg  the  only 
entliusiast — specified  by  name. 


Avhen,  of  ourselves,  we  are  incompetent  to  discover  it;  but 
that  He  should  miraculously  reveal  any  thing  besides  this, 
for  the  gratification  of  an  inquisitive  mind,  there  seems  no 
good  reason  to  expect. 

"It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  the  trial  of  our  faith,  hu- 
mility, and  candor,  in  assenting,  on  sufficient  authority,  to 
mysterious  doctrines,  is  a  worthy  and  fit  purpose,  for 
which  such  doctrines  may  be  revealed.  This  is,  undoubt- 
edly, true;  and  the  purpose  may  even  be  fairly  reckoned  a 
practical  one,  since  so  good  a  moral  effect  results  from  such 
belief.  If,  therefore,  none  of  the  doctrines  necessary  to 
be  revealed  for  other  practical  purposes,  were  of  such  a  mys- 
terious character,  as  to  serve  for  trials  of  faith  also,  we 
might,  perhaps,  expect  that  some  things  should  be  propos- 
ed to  our  belief,  solely  and  singly  for  this  latter  purpose. 
But  if  both  objects  can  be  fully  accomplished  by  the  same 
revelation, — if  our  faith  be  sufficiently  tried  by  the  admis- 
sion of  such  mysterious  doctrines  as  are  important  for  oth- 
er practical  ends  also, — then,  the  revelation  of  any  further 
mysteries  which  lead  to  no  such  practical  end,  is  the  less 
necessary,  and,  consequently,  the  less  to  be  expected. 

"What  then  is,  in  this  respect,  the  character  of  our  re- 
ligion? It  may  safely  be  asserted,  that  it  is  precisely  such 
as  we  have  seen  a  true  revelation  might  be  expected  to  be: 
that  it  teaches  us  what  is  needful  for  us  to  know,  but  little 
or  nothing  besides;  that  the  information  it  imparts  is  such, 
as  concerns  the  regulation  of  our  character  and  practice, 
but  leaves  our  curiosity  unsatisfied. 

"Those  who  are  sufficiently  conversant  with  the  Scrip- 
tures, will  at  once  recognize  this  as  a  characteristic  fea- 
ture of  them. 

"To  prove  the  point  in  question  as  fully  as  might  be  done, 
would  require  a  detailed  examination  of  the  whole  Bible; 
and  such  an  examination,  diligently  conducted  with  a  view 
to  the  particular  point  before  us,  is  one  which  may  be  re- 
commended, not  merely  to  professed  theological  students, 
but  (since  it  calls  for  no  great  ingenuity  or  learning)  to 
Christian  readers  in  general;  as  neither  an  unprofitable 
nor  unpleasing  inquiry,  to  him  who  delights  in  contrasting 
the  wisdom,  and  the  dignified  simplicity  of  God's  Word,  witli 
the  idle  and  arrogant  pretensions  of  human  fraud  and  folly." 

P.  2.50,  "He  (the  infidel)  may  ask  them  (Christians,) 
how  it  came  to  pass,  that  no  one  of  our  sacred  writers  has 
given  a  full,  minute,  and  engaging  account  of  all  that  is 
(according  to  him)  to  take   place  at  the  end  of  the  world; 


XI 

of  all  the  interesting  particulars  of  the  day  of  judgment; 
of  the  new  bodies  with  which  men  will  arise;  and  of  'the 
glories  that  shall  be  revealed'  in  heaven;  or  has  given  any 
account  at  all  (or  at  least  any  from  which  a  decisive  con- 
clusion can  be  drawn,)  of  the  condition  in  which  men  are  to 
remain  during  the  interval  between  death  and  the  resurrec- 
tion? It  is  plain,  that  nothing  could  have  been  more  grali- 
fijing  to  the  curiosity  of  all  who  had  an  interest  in  the  sub- 
ject; nothing  more  likely  even  to  allure  fresh  converts, 
than  a  glowing  description  of  the  joys  of  heaven.  It  would 
have  been  easily  believed,  too,  by  those  who  gave  credit  to 
the  writer,  as  it  is  plain  Paul  supposed  the  Corinthians  did; 
— it  would  have  been  very  easij,  again,  for  an  impostor  to 
give  a  loose  to  his  fancy,  in  inventing  such  a  description; 
and  to  an*  enthusiast  it  would  have  been  unavoidable:  he 
who  was  passing  off  his  day-dreams  for  revelations,  on  him- 
self as  well  as  on  others,  v/ould  have  been  sure  to  dream 
largely  on  such  a  subject.  Why,  then,  did  not  Paul  do  any 
thing  of  the  kind?  I  answer,  because  he  was  not  an  impos- 
tor, nor  an  enthusiast,  but  taught  only  what  had  been  ac- 
tually revealed  to  him,  and  what  he  was  commissioned  to 
reveal  to  others." 

P.  258,  "In  this  present  life  we  should  carefully  guard 
against  the  too  prevailing  error  of  presumptuous  inquiries, 
and  attempts  to  explain  unrevealed  mysteries;  an  error 
which  generally  leaves  men  the  more  bewildered  and  mis- 
taken, the  greater  their  ingenuity  and  diligence. 

"Little  as  there  is  revealed  to  us  of  the  condition  of  our 
first  parents  in  paradise,  thus  much  (and  let  Christians 
never  forget  it)  is  plainly  taught  us,  that  they  fell  from  their 
happy  state  through  the  desire  o^  forUdden  knowledge.  It 
was  by  seeking  from  men  to  become  'as  gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil,'  thai  they  incurred  that  loss,  to  retrieve  which 
God  was  made  Man,  in  Christ  Jesus;  who  'took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  humbled  himself  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross,  to  redeem  us,  the  children  of 
Adam,'  whom  ivant  of  humility  had  ruined;  and  to  open  to 
us  the  gates  of  eternal  life,  which  presumptuous  transgres- 
sion had  shut.  How,  then,  can  we  hope  to  enter  in,  if  we 
repeat  the  very  transgression  of  Adam,  in  seeking  to  be 
wise  above  that  which  is  written?  By  inquisitive  pride  v/as 
immortal  happiness  forfeited;  and  the  path  by  which  we 

*  In  this  Essay,  Mahomed  is  the  only  impostor,  and  Sv.-edeaboi'g  the  only 
entliusiast — specified  by  name. 


xu 


must  travel  back  to  its  recovery,  is  that  of  patient  and  re- 
signed humility." 

A  few  extracts  are  taken,  in  the  course  of  the  present 
Letter,  from  other  parts  of  the  Essays;  also  from  His 
Grace's  Sermons,  and  Bampton  Lectures,  to  which  the 
reader  is  referred.  It  may  be  desirable  to  add,  with  re- 
gard to  the  extracts,  not  only  from  these  works,  but  from 
all  which  are  quoted  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  Letter, 
that  there  has  been  every  desire  to  represent  faithfully  the 
meaning  of  the  respective  authors,  and  carefully  to  guard 
against  every  possibility  of  their  arguments  being  misun- 
derstood. Should  the  slightest  error  in  this  respect  have 
been  committed,  the  reader  may  be  assured  it  has  been 
committed  inadvertently,  and  will  be  rectified  on  the  first 
opportunity  which  occurs  after  it  is  pointed  out,  as  the 
only  design  of  the  ensuing  pages  is — the  truth. 


CONTENTS 


Preliminary    Eemarpzs. 


Division  of  the  subject  into  the  two  questions  of  Doctrines  and  Reve- 
lations. 

Doctrines    of   Swedeisborg. 

Swedenborg's  doctrines  of  The  Trinity,  The  Atonement,  The  Divine 
Humanit'y  o  the  Lord,  Intercession,  Mediation,  Regetieration,  &c., 
practically  considered  and  compared  with  the  popular  views. 

Alleged  Revelations  of  Swedeneorg. 

Two  kinds  of  alleged  revelations.  1st.  The  revelation  of  the  Inter- 
nal Sense  of  the  Word  of  God.  2d.  Intercourse  v\dth  the  Spiritual 
World, 

Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Antecedent  objections  to  further  revelations  considered. 

1.  That  we  have  already  sufficient  light. 

2.  That  God  never  designed  to  make  us  prophets. 

3.  That  we  ought  not  to  be  wise  above  that  which  is  written. 

4.  That  man  has  no  faculties  adequate  to  such  mysteries. 

5.  That  inquiry  into  them  proceeds  from  a  love  of  novelty. 

6.  That  there  ma/  be  new  discoveries  in  science,  but  not  in  reli- 
gion. 

On  uniformity  of  reception  of  the  doctrines  and  interpretations  of 
Scripture. 

On  the  Scriptures  as  a  final  Revelation. 

No  uniformly  received  principles  of  Inspiration. 

No  uniformly  received  principles  of  Interpretation. 

Consequent  state  of  the  Christian  community. 

Nature  and  design  of  the  Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  of  God  as  un- 
folded by  Swedenborg. 

Extracts  from  his  vrorks. 

Intercourse  with  the  Spiritual  World. 

Antecedent  objections  considered. 

1.  That  Swedenborg's  narratives  tend  to  indulge  the  imagination, 
gratify  curiosity,  and  minister  to  credulity.     Examination  of 
his  narratives  in  reference  to  this  objection.     St.  Paul's  eleva- 
tion to  the  third  heaven  considered. 
2 


14  CONTENTS. 

2.  That  such  narratives  gratify  a  spirit  of  presimiption.    The  case 
of  the  fall  of  our  first  parents  considered. 

3.  That  such  narratives  leave  no  room  for  the  exercise  of  faith. 

4.  That  were  such  knowledge  useful,  God  would  have  long  since 
revealed  it. 

5.  That,  on  this  subject,  we  are  not  warranted  by  Scripture  to  ex- 
pect any  further  revelation. 

Obstacles  to  the  reception  of  Swedenborg's  alleged  revelations. 

1.  Selfish  and  worldly  principles. 

2.  Ignorance  of  the  state  of  our  hearts. 

3.  Ignorance  of  the  nature  of  the  intermediate  state, 

4.  Unbelief  in  the  proximity  of  the  spiritual  world. 

5.  Erroneous  ideas  of  Divine  operations. 

6.  False  philosophy. 

On  the  true  principles  of  analogy. 

Application  of  the  foregoing  principles  to  the  reconsdtution  of  the  hu- 
man mind. 

Intercourse  of  the  mind,  thus  reconstituted,  with  the  spiritual  world. 

The  nature  of  this  intercourse. 

Archdeacon  Paley's  objections  considered. 

Internal  evidence  of  the  tiuth  of  Swedenborg's  narratives,  arising 
from  the  principles  of  his  philosophy. 

Application  of  the  foregoing  arguments  to  the  question,  whether  Swe- 
denborg  was  a  visionary,  and  whether  his  revelations  are  practical. 

Folly  of  prejudice. 

Author's  apology. 

Final  success  of  Swedenborg's  principles. 

APPENDIX. 

Remarks  of  Archbishop  Whately  on  the  Trinity. 

Popular  views  of  the  Trinity,  Atonement,  and  Intercession  exempli- 
fied by  extracts. 


A 

LETTER 

TO 

HIS  GRACE  THE    LORD  ARCHBISHOP  OF  DUBLIN. 


My  Lord  Archbishop, — 

If  ever  there  were  a  period,  in  which  the  members  of  the 
Christian  church  were  called  upon  "to  believe  not  every 
spirit,  but  to  try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God,"  "  to 
prove  all  things,  and  to  holdfast  that  which  is  good,"  the 
present  assuredly  is  one.  The  disposition  to  inquiry  which 
has  been  awakened,  the  spread  of  education,  the  increasing 
desire  of  knowledge,  and  the  extraordinary  progress  of 
the  sciences,  however  sometimes  exaggerated,  have  been 
sufficient  to  lead  many  sober  and  reflecting  minds  to  con- 
template, as  not  improbable,  a  new  aspect  in  the  history 
of  the  world;  and,  when  we  connect  these  circumstances 
with  the  disregard  of  human  authority  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, the  asserted  right  of  private  judgment,  the  conflict- 
ing views  which  are  entertained,  even  upon  the  most  im- 
portant principles  of  Christianity,  it  will  be  granted,  I  pre- 
sume, that,  if  ever  learning,  sound  judgment,  piety  and 
diligence  were  required  in  the  clergy,  they  are  assuredly 
most  requisite  now.  When  to  this  we  add,  that,  among 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  Christian  community,  there 
prevails  a  variety  of  expectations,  with  respect  to  prophecies 
in  Scripture,  the  fulfilment  of  which  many  believe  to  be 
not  far  distant,  there  is,  assuredly,  the  more  particular  rea- 
son, why  the  Christian  community  should  be  on  its  guard, 
lest  any  enthusiast  should  avail  himself  of  these  expecta- 
tions, and  delude  both  himself  and  his  followers;  more 
especially  as,  under  the  circumstances  we  have  mentionedj 


16  -  PRELIMINARY      REMARKS. 

the  probability  is  that  enthusiasts  would  arise,  and  that 
many,  consequently,  would  be  deluded.  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  intioduction  of  new  dispensations  by  the  Almighty 
seems,  in  general,  to  have  given  occasion  tor  opposite  and 
rival  claims  to  the  truth.  When  Moses  wrought  miracles 
before  Pharaoh,  counter  miracles  were  said  to  be  wrought 
by  the  magi.  When  Christ  cast  out  devils  from  the  pos- 
sessed, similar  claims  to  miraculous  power  were  asserted 
to  exist  among  the  Pharisees.  When  Christ  assumed  the 
character  of  King  of  the  Jews,  rival  pretensions  were 
made  by  others.  "  Before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas, 
boasting  himself  to  be  somebody,  to  whom  a  number  of 
men,  about  four  hundred,  joined  themselves,  who  was 
slain;  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  scattered  and 
brought  to  nought.  After  this  man  rose  up  Judas  of 
Galilee,  in  the  days  of  the  taxing,  and  drew  away  much 
people  after  him;  he  also  perisiied,  and  all,  as  many  as 
obeyed  him,  were  dispersed."  (Acts  v.  36.)  At  the  second 
coming  of  Christ  into  the  world,  we  are  told,  it  shall  be 
the  same;  "for  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and^false 
prophets,  and  shall  shew  great  signs  and-  wonders,  inso- 
much that,  if  it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the 
very  elect."  (Matt.  xxiv.  24.)  Thus,  at  the  end  of  the 
old  and  the  beginning  of  new  dispensations,  arise  false  and 
true  prophets  in  every  direction;  whence  pretensions  of 
both  kinds  become  so  mixed  up  one  with  the  other,  that, 
unless  possessed  of  a  clear  spiritual  discernment,  a  person 
runs  the  risk  of  receiving  the  ffilse  as  the  true,  or  the  true 
as  the  false,  or  of  rejecting  indiscriminately  both  together; 
and  so,  in  order  to  avoid  the  snare  of  enthusiasm,  of  falling 
into  the  pit  of  infidelity. 

In  all  cases  of  this  kind,  whether  we  believe  in  a  further 
revelation  or  not.  Your  Grace  has  referred  us  to  an  excel- 
lent guide,  namely,  that  of  practical  utility.  Whatever 
has  a  tendency  to  lead  men  to  repent  of  their  sins,  and  to 
love  God  and  their  neighbor,  may  safely  be  pronounced  to 
be  of  God;  whatever  has  no  such  tendency,  when  under- 
stood, may  safely  be  pronounced  to  be  of  man.  This  test 
of  truth,  then,  I  am  willing  to  receive  as  the  best  possible, 
because,  although  there  are  mysteries  in  the  Bible,  which, 
as  Your  Grace  observes,  at  present  have  no  other  tendency 
than  that  of  exercising  our  faith,  yet,  when  once  their  na- 
ture is  revealed,  we  are  ready  to  admit,  for  the  sake  of  the 
argument,  they  will  be  seen  to  be  in  some  manner  still  fur- 
ther practically  useful.     This  test  of  truth  seems  also  to  be 


P  R  E  L  I  xM  I  N  A  R  y      REMARKS.  1  / 

the  one  which  St.  John,  in  his  Epistle,  1.  c.  iii.  v.  18,  point- 
ed out,  when  he  says,  "My  little  children,  let  us  not  love 
in  word  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  m  truth;  ana 
hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure 
our  hearts  before  him."  The  love  of  God  and  of  our 
neighbor,  therefore,  as  the  fruit  of  our  doctrines,  being 
con^sidered  an  evidence  of  their  truth,  the  test,  ni  order  lor 
it  to  be  used  impartially,  should  be  applied,  not  on.'y  to  the 
principles  of  those  whom  we  may  consider  to  be  enthusi- 
asts and  impostors,  but  also  to  our  own;  since,  if  we  do 
not  examine  our  own  principles  by  this  test,  as  well  as  those 
of  others,  we  may  be  in  the  situation  of  one  who,  m  secur- 
in<r  his  house  against  an  enemy,  may  be  shutting  hiin  m, 
while  he  imagines  he  is  shutting  him  out.  It  is  a  tendency 
of  human  nature  to  apply  to  others  what  we  forget  to  apply 
to  ourselves,  and  it  is  one  which  deserves  more  particular 
notice  on  the  present  occasion,  because,  when  it  is  said  that 
the  system  of  Swebenborg,  if  tried  by  this  test,  is  found  to 
•have  little  or  no  reference  to  practice;  so,  on  the  other  hand, 
Swedenborg  maintains  that  the  system  commonly  received, 
when  tried  by  the  same  test,  is  found,  in  too  many  cases,  not 
only  to  have  no  intelligible  reference  to  practice,  but,  what  is 
far  worse,  one  that  is  highly  pernicious.  The  ground,  there- 
fore upon  which  the  distinguished  author  of  the  Essays 
has  rejected  the  system  of  Swedenborg,  is  the  ground  upon 
which  Swedenborg  himself  has  rejected  the  system  com- 
monly received.  Which  of  the  two  is  right,  is  the  ques- 
tion at  issue.  . 

While,  however,  there  are  some  who  are  equitable 
enough  to  apply  the  test  we  have  mentioned,  to  the  princi- 
ples of  Swedenborg,  however  they  may  forget  to  apply  it 
to  their  own,  yet  it  must  be  admitted,  that  by  far  the  great- 
er class  neglect  the  application  altogether,  and  hence,  amid 
the  multiplicity  of  exhortations  which  are  given  by  well- 
meanino-  persons  to  "  try  the  spirits,"  and  "to  prove  all 
things."  there  is  nothing  which  they  and  their  hearers  are, 
in  general,  more  sure  to  omit  than  the  thing  which  they 
recommend,  namely,  the  trial  and  the  proof;  the  one  hav- 
in<T  given  the  exhortation,  and  the  other  having  listened  to 
it,°the  question  is  considered  as  fairly  decided,  and  the 
whole  matter  to  be  at  an  end.  Besides,  many  regard  an 
inquiry  of  this  kind  as  unnecessary;  for,  believing  them- 
selves to  be  already  in  possession  of  the  truth,  whatever 
does  not  happen  to  conform  to  their  views,  they  think  they 
have  nothing  to  do  but  to  reject,  and  hence,  simple  rejec- 


18  PRELIMINARY      REMARKS. 

tion  Ihey  consider  as  constituting  the  whole  of  their  duty. 
The  examination,  therefore,  if  they  ever  commence  any,  is 
not,  whether  their  principles  are  conformable  to  the  truth, 
but  whether  the  views  of  others  are  conformable  to  their 
principles.  They  profess,  indeed,  that  works  are  the  evi- 
dence of  faith;  but  they  regard  a  man's  faith  as  the  evi- 
dence of  his  works,  for,  however  holy  he  may  be  in  his 
life,  however  full  of  good  offices  towards  his  fellow-crea- 
tures, yet,  if  this  be  the  consequence  of  his  reception  of  the 
principles  of  Swedenborg,  he  is  looked  upon  as  a  deceiver 
and  as  self-deceived.  There  are  {ew^  my  Lord,  who  now 
adopt  those  principles,  who  did  not  once  oppose  them,  and 
many,  perhaps, conscientiously.  The  recollection, therefore, 
of  their  own  errors  inclines  them  to  look  upon  those  of 
others  with  a  spirit  of  forbearance  and  foi'giveness;  for  they 
see  in  their  opponents  only  the  same  misapprehensions,  the 
same  prepossessions,  or,  it  may  be,  the  same  natural  and 
carnal  ideas,  which  once,  perhaps,  were  their  own.  Al- 
though, therefore,  there  are  many,  who,  from  a  variety  of 
causes,  have  been  led  to  regard  Swedenborg  as  merely  ''a 
pretended  prophet,"  "the  dupe  of  a  distempered  fancy," 
and,  consequently,  the  receivers  of  his  writings  as  the 
victims  of  a  religious  delusion,  and  the  credulous  readers 
of  "pretended  revelations,"  Avhich  have  "little  or  no  intel- 
ligible reference  to  practice;"  we  feel  ourselves  bound,  in 
all  Christian  charity,  to  give  them  credit  for  what,  to4hem, 
may  be  conscientious  convictions;  although,  if  it  be  not 
demonstrated,  yet  it  will,  1  think,  be  rendered  highly  prob- 
able, in  the  ensuing  letter,  that  they  know  not  what  they  are 
rejecting.  In  consequence  of  the  general  ignorance  which 
prevails  with  respect  to  the  writings  of  Sv/edenborg,  we 
have  not  only  to  disclaim  principles  which  others  would  im- 
pute to  us,  but,  as  in  the  present  instance,  to  communicate 
true  ideas  of  that  which  it  is  their  design  to  oppose;  sure- 
ly they  should  reflect,  that  though  the  arrow  may  be  good, 
as  also  the  bow,  and  the  archer  the  first  of  his  race,  yet  if 
he  docs  not  know  what  or  where  is  the  mark,  it  is  not  like- 
ly he  will  hit  it.  Although,  therefore,  for  this  reason,  I 
cannot  but  consider  the  observations  in  the  Essays,  with 
regard  to  Swedenborg,  to  be  erroneous,  yet  it  is  with  plea- 
sure I  acknowledge  the  courtesy  with  which  the  subject  is 
noticed,  the  apparent  disposition  of  the  author  to  do  justice 
to  the  question,  and  his  practical  exemplification  of  some 
of  the  Christian  precepts  inculcated  in  his  Bampton  lec- 
tures; for,  notwithstanding  he  seems  to  designate  Sweden- 


PRELIMINARY      R  E  xM  A  R  K  S  .  19 

borg  as  a  visionary  and  enthusiast,  as  well  as  to  imply  that 
his  followers  are  similarly  deluded,  yet,  if  a  person  comes 
to  this  conclusion,  in  consequence  of  argument  conducted 
in  a  fair  spirit,  he  is  perfectly  at  liberty  to  use  the  expres- 
sions, because,  however  we  may  regret  the  mistake  under 
which  he  labors,  the  error,  if  any,  does  not  consist  in  the 
use  of  the  terms,  but  in  the  principles  which  led  to  their  use. 

These  principles  it  will  be  my  object  to  examine;  and,  in 
so  doing.  Your  Grace  will,  I  doubt  not,  concede  that  free- 
dom of  expression  which  is  willingly  granted  to  those  who 
oppose  us,  and  which  is  necessary  to  the  fair  and  full  ex- 
position of  our  sentiments.  A  candid  examination  of  prin- 
ciples, with  a  view  to  prove  all  things,  and  to  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good.  Your  Grace  will  not  confound  with  a  spirit 
of  controversy ;  more  especially  as  this  is  a  spirit  which 
you  have  justly  deprecated,  and,  at  the  same  time,  did  not 
conceive  it  to  be  inconsistent  to  undertake  a  proof,  though 
indireci*  that  the  alleged  revelations  of  Swedenborg  are 
untrue. 

Of  those  general  principles,  from  which  the  Essays  have 
arrived  at  their  several  conclusions,  I  have  great  pleasure 
in  admitting  some  to  be  true,  though  I  cannot  but  consider^ 
that,  with  respect  to  Swedenborg,  they  prove  the  reverse 
of  what  the  Essays  have  stated;  a  great  portion  of  these 
principles,  however,  I  humbly  conceive  to  be  mistaken. 
Nevertheless,  inasmuch  as  they  are  not  unfrequently  held, 
they  are  arranged,  in  the  following  remarks,  under  the 
head  of  popular  objections;  which  is  done  the  more  willing- 
ly, because  it  enables  me  to  consider  them  rather  as  the 
sentiments  of  a  class  of  society,  than  merely  as  those  of  a 
single  individual;  and  if  I  quote  Your  Grace's  particular 
statements,  it  is  only  because,  proceeding  from  so  eminent 
a  quarter,  they  may  be  considered  as  the  more  authentic 
and  tangible  expositions  of  the  opinions  maintained  by  oth- 

*  It  is  said  an  indirect  proof,  because  this  appears  to  be  all  that  is  meant  by 
the  words  "the  truth  or  falsity  of  that  revelation  1  had  no  intention  of  discuss- 
ing;" since  it  would  seem  the  only  ol)ject  of  the  Essay  was  to  distinguish  a 
true  from  a  false  revelation,  by  the  circumslance  of  the  former  having  relation 
to  practice,  and  the  latter  having  none;  in  illustration  of  which,  are  instanced 
the  alleged  revelations  of  Swedenborg,  of  which,  it  is  observed,  "the  system 
furnislies  abundant  matter  of  faith  and  food  for  curiosity,  but  has  liitle  or  no  in- 
telligible reference  to  practice;"  and  it  is  immediately  added,  "■such  being  the 
character  of  false  revelations,  wliat  may  we  expect  from  a  true  one'?"  It  is  con- 
cluded, theref(n-e,  that  one  object  of  the  Essays  was  to  discuss  the  truth  or  fal- 
sity of  Swcdenborg's  revelations,  and  that  all  thai  the  author  means  by  the  ex- 
pression above  alluded  to,  is,  that  he  did  not  imdertake  any  direct  proof  of  the 
revelations  of  Swedenborg  being  untrue,  which  indeed  is  the  case. 


20  P  R  E  L  I  I\I  1  N  A  R  Y      HE  M  ARKS. 

ers.  The  reader  is,  therefore,  requested  to  bear  in  mind, 
that,  in  the  following  remarks,  I  am  not  answering  particu- 
lar objections  urged  only  by  some  particular  author,  but 
objections  founded  on  general  principles  not  unfrequently 
entertained. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  consideration  of  the  subject, 
allow  me  to  express  my  sense  of  its  awful  importance;  for  if 
it  be  not  a  delusion,  many  are  the  deluded.  Could  learning 
and  attainments  decide  the  question,  I  must,  in  the  present 
case,  bow  with  respectful  deference  to  my  opponent.  Noth- 
ing but  a  persuasion,  that  these  qualifications,  however  ad- 
mirable, are  not  those  which  are  only  or  even  chiefly  requi- 
site to  decide  the  question,  induces  me  to  take  a  part  in 
the  discussion.  Besides,  even  if  they  were,  I  cannot  but 
recollect  tliat  many  of  the  receivers  of  Swedenborg's  v/rit- 
ings  have,  in  these  respects,  been  perfectly  equal  to  those 
who  differed  from  them,  while  Swedenborg  iiimself  was  a 
man  of  most  distinguished  attainments.  All  to  which  I  can 
venture  to  lay  claim,  is,  an  impartial  desire  of  the  truth, 
and  a  willingness,  wherever  I  think  I  see  it,  if  necessary, 
to  forsake  ail  in  order  to  follow  it.  If  the  receivers  of  the 
writings  of  Swedenborg  be  in  error,  and  if  the  error  be 
that  of  the  understanding,  rather  than  of  the  heart,  the  di- 
vine mercy  will,  doubtless,  not  allow  them  finally  to  fail  in 
their  salvation;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  opponents 
of  those  writings  be  in  error,  the  same  mercy  awaits  them 
with  open  arms,  if,  like  St.  Paul,  they  have  erred  ignorant- 
ly  in  unbelief  My  conviction  is,  that  such  is  the  fact;  and, 
in  stating  some  lew  of  the  reasons  for  which  I  have  been 
led  to  this  conclusion,  I  sincerely  trust  that  1  may  be  guid- 
ed by  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  that  the  reader  will  suffer  him- 
self to  be  led  by  the  same  Spirit,  and  not  feel  offended,  if, 
on  a  subject  of  so  great  importance,  I  speak  plainly,  and. 
without  hesitation,  endeavor  to  lay  the  axe  to  the  root  of 
the  tree.* 

Before  touching  upon  the  general  question,  I  would  ob- 
serve, that  there  are  a  few  points,  perhaps,  peculiar  to 
Your  Grace's  view  of  the  argument,  one  of  which  I  will 
briefly  notice.  Having  admitted  the  practical  character 
of  the  doctrines,  mention  is  made  of  the  non-practical 
character  of  the  revelations.     The   doctrines  of  Sweden- 

♦  I  beg  leave  to  say,  once  for  all,  that  if,  in  explaining  the  views  of  Swe- 
clen})org,  I  have  any  where  expressed  myself  incorrectly,  or  not  with  sufficient 
clearncs.s,  the  reader  will  not  do  justice  to  the  subject  without  referring  to  t!ie 
original  author. 


DOCTRINES.  21 

borg,  it  is  admitted,  are  fimdamentally  the  same  with  those 
commonly  received;  therefore,  there  is  nothing  practical 
in  his  alleged  revelations.  I  confess  I  am* at  a  loss  to  per- 
ceive the  sequence  of  the  conclusion,  and,  though  unable 
to  deduce  from  the  observation  any  other  meaning,  yet  I 
can  scarcely  bring  myself  to  believe  that  I  have  rightly 
apprehended  the  argument;  for,  even  supposing  the  doc- 
trines were  precisely  the  same  ^^'ith  those  which  are  com- 
monly received,  and  that  these  doctrines  were  true,  why 
might  there  not  be  revelations,  perfectly  in  accordance 
with  them,  developing  their  nature  to  a  much  greater  ex- 
tent than  was  previously  known,  and  supplying  us  with 
principles  of  much  greater  purity,  than  those  we  previously 
possessed  ?  Do  we  not  see  the  possibility  of  this  circum- 
stance illustrated  in  the  case  of  those  whose  general  or- 
thodoxy has  not  been  doubted  by  their  respective  followers, 
and  who  yet  have  looked  forward  to  a  period  upon  earth, 
when  the  mysteries  of  the  divine  dispensations  will  be 
more  fully  revealed,  and  the  doctrines  which  are  consid- 
ered to  be  practical,  and  yet  inscrutable,  will  be  better 
understood?  Now,  if  they  are  better  understood,  why 
should  a  revelation  to  this  eftect,  be  considered  as  non- 
practical;  and  why,  therefore,  even  if  the  doctrines  of 
Svvedenborg  were  the  same  with  those  generally  received, 
must  it  follow  that  an  alleged  revelation,  which  might  be  a 
further  development  of  these  doctrines,  would  necessarily 
be  of  a  non-practical  character?  This  observation  is 
made,  the  rather,  because  it  is  admitted,  that  the  doctrines 
of  Swedenborg  are  of  a  practical  character;  and  it  will  be 
shewn  how  his  alleged  revelations  are  in  a  great  partj  only 
a  further  development  of  his  doctrines. 

Previous,  therefore,  to  any  remarks  upon  the  alleged  rev- 
elations, it  will  be  necessary  to  make  a  lew  observations  on 
the  subject  of  these  doctrines. 

That  there  are  writers  in  the  Established  Church,  who 
occasionally  deliver  sentiments  in  perfect  accordance  with 
some  of  those  of  Swedenborg,  is  acknowledged  with  pleasure; 
whether  a  person  would  hence  be  at  liberty  to  infer,  that 
there  was  no  essential  difTerence  between  the  doctrines  of 
Swedenborg  and  thor:e  which  are  commonly  professed, 
seems  to  be  another  question.  A  receiver  of  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg  oflen  imagines  that  there  is  this  difference, — 
the  imaginalion,  if  such  it  be^  is  often  to  him  the  source  of 
great  regret;  and  it  is  no  little  relief  to  his  feelings,  to  be 
able  to  point  cut,   in  the   different  authors  for  which  the 


22  DOCTRINES. 

church  is  distinguished,  principles  in  which  he  is  happy  to 
coincide.  For  what  pleasure  can  he  take  in  excluding 
himself  from  the  social  interchange  of  sentiment  with  his 
fellow-creatures?  In  pursuing  this  course,  however,  he  is 
immediately  liable  to  this  inconvenience:  it  is  replied,  your 
professed  revelation  cannot  be  true,  because  it  pretends  to 
be  new,  whereas,  its  principles  are  old,  or  fundamentally 
the  same  with  those  which  are  generally  received.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  peculiarities  in  those  principles  are  pointed 
out,  they  are,  for  this  reason,  presumed  to  be  erroneous, 
being  considered  to  be  only  the  distinctions  of  a  sect.* 
Now,  nothing  is  more  remarkable  to  an  observant  mind, 
than  the  contradictory  views  which  are  taken  of  the  doc- 
trines of  Swedenborg,  even  by  learned  and  eminent  men. 
A  late  prelate  of  the  Church  of  England  denounced 
them  as  preposterous  and  heretical,  and  in  so  doing 
was  countenanced  by  other  members  of  the  church;  yet 
the  late  Bishop  Porteus,  -who  was  distinguished  for  both 
his  piety  and  learning,  publicly  sanctioned  the  preach- 
ing of  these  doctrines  in  his  own  diocese;  and,  in  the 
following  words,  encouraged  a  clergyman  to  continue  to 
disseminate  them:  "I  see  no  particular  objection  to  the 
ideas  which  you  have  stated,  and  which  come  recommend- 
ed to  my  own  mind  by  the  consideration,  that  they  were 
the  ideas  of  an  intimate  and  learned  friend  of  mine,  for 
whose  opinion  and  sound  judgment  I  must  ever  entertain 
the  highest  respect.  "I  The  author  of  the  continuation  of 
Mosheim's  Ecclesiastical  History,  after  giving  a  summary 
of  Swedenborg 's  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  Atonement, 
remarks, — "In  substance,  perhaps,  there  is  no  great  differ- 
ence between  this  and  the  ordinary  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. '' 

*  Swedenborg  did  not  profess  to  be  the  founder  of  any  sect,  nor  do  the  re- 
ceivers of  his  writings  regard  him  as  such;  indeed,  there  is  nothing  to  be 
found  in  his  works  upon  the  subject.  The  consequence  is,  that  Swedenborgians, 
as  they  are  improperly  called,  iiave  not  yet  all  formed  themselves  into  a  distinct 
body,  but  pursue  each  the  guidance  of  his  own  conscience;  some  belonging  to 
a  distinct  religious  class,  others  remaining  in  external  communion  with  the 
church  of  which  they  had  previously  been  members;  the  fundamental  article  of 
their  religion  being  love,  not  faith  separate  from  love. 

t  This  observation  ;s  extracte<l  from  a  work,  entitled,  "Pure  Evangelical 
Religion  restored,"  by  the  late  Rev.  John  Clowes,  IM.  A., Rector  of  St.  John's 
Church,  3Ianchester,  and,  formerly,  fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 
In  this  tract  an  account  is  given  of  an  inlerview  between  a  clergyman  and  a 
bishop,  on  the  subject  of  Swedenborg's  writings,  the  names  of  the  parties  not 
being  mentioned.  It  is  known,  however,  that  the  clergyman  was  Mr.  Clowes 
himself,  and  the  bishop  the  late  Dr.  Porteus;  Mr.  Clowes'  living  being  in  the 
diocese  of  Chester,  of  which  Dr.  Porteus  was  then  the  bishop. 


DOCTRINES.  £3 

Your  Grace  also  observes, — "Nor  do  I  deny  its  including 
the  fundamentals  of  Christianity;"  indeed,  so  far  from  op- 
posing the  doctrines,  a  portion  of  Your  Grace's  argument 
is  founded  upon  the  presumption,  of  their  being  essentially 
in  agreement  with  those  of  the  Established  Church.* 

Whether  or  not  such  be  the  fact,  we  shall  afterwards  see; 
at  present  I  only  observe,  that  all  who  entertain  tritheisti- 
cal  notions  of  the  Trinity,  have  naturally  felt  great  aversion 
to  Swedenborg's  views  of  the  subject;  and  all  who  contem- 
plate the  Lord  as  one  God,  find  their  sentiments  to  be  more 
in  accordance  with  the  doctrines  of  Swedenborg.  Now  it 
gives  me  great  pleasure  to  see  that  Your  Grace  is  one  of 
this  number.  To  no  person  in  the  present  day,  so  far  as  I 
am  aware,  is  the  Christian  community  more  indebted,  for 
pointing  out  some  of  the  lamentable  errors,  which  have  pre- 
vailed in  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  and  I  can- 
not help  considering  this  to  be  one  cause  for  v/hich,  what- 
ever Your  Grace  may  think  of  Swedenborg's  revelations, 
you  have  taken  so  favorable  a  view  of  his  doctrines;  all  of 
which  are  founded  on  that  one  great  truth,  that  there  is  one 
God,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  that  God,  and  that  in 
Him  there  is  a  Trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 
Your  Grace  has,  in  your  writings,  maintained,  what  Swe- 
denborg long  since  maintained,  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity,  as  frequently  interpreted,  instead  of  being  the 
manifestation,  is,  in  fact,  the  mystification  of  the  unity;  and 
that  the  distinction  of  the  persons  had  been  so  explained, 
as  to  make  the  unity  of  the  Godhead  inexplicable;  in  fine, 
that  the  unity  had  become  the  incomprehensible  mystery. 
We  know  the  reluctance  of  the  human  heart  to  acknowl- 
edge its  errors;  nor  is  that  reluctance  diminished  by  the 
circumstance  of  individuals  forming  into  a  body,  as  it  then 
becomes  the  combined  reluctance  of  all;  in  which  case,  an 
individual,  in  acknowledging  his  errors,  has  to  acknowledge 
them  not  only  as  his  own,  but  as  those  also  of  the  body 
with  Mdiich  he  is  identified.  Besides,  the  more  widely 
spread  and  deeply  rooted  is  an  error,  the  less  easily  is  it 
detected;  and  therefore,  when  Your  Grace  had  discernment 
enough,  and,  what  is  still  more  estimable,  the  honesty  and 
fidelity,  to  point  out  the  errors  regarding  the  Trinity,  I  can- 
not be  surprised  that  many  should  be  backward  to  perceive 

*  As  llie  Essays,  therefore,  make  no  attempt  lo  disprove  tlie  doctrinal  views 
taken  liy  Swedenboig,  so  it  is  to  be  understood  that  the  remarks  upon  this  sub- 
ject, in  the  present  letter,  are  designed  rather  as  simple  expositions  of  these 
views,  than  as  formal  proofs. 


24  DOCTRINES. 

and  acknowledge  the  fact, — a  circumstance  which  only 
shews  how  irradicated  the  error  had  become.  Of  the  truth 
of  your  assertion  you  gave  a  lamentable  instance:  my  con- 
viction is,  Your  Grace  might  have  furnished  hundreds. 
There  is  reason  to  believe  it  is  an  error  which  has  overrun 
the  Christian  community.  To  introduce  all  the  proofs  ot 
this  fact,  would  be  to  make  quotations  which  would  fill  a 
volume.  I  have  thought  it  useful,  however,  to  subjoin  a  few 
in  the  Appendix,  Now,  il  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  be  a  fun- 
damental doctrine,  if  also  we  so  regard  it,  it  must,  of  course, 
enter,  more  or  less,  into  every  other  doctrine  of  Chris- 
tianity; it  must,  therefore,  enter  into  that  of  the  Atone- 
ment, v/hich,  after  the  Trinity,  is  next  in  importance;  and 
if  this  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  enters  into  that  of  the  Atone- 
ment, then  must  also  our  views  of  this  doctrine,  I  take 
this  for  granted; — a  universal  truth  must  enter  into  all  the 
particular  truths  under  it.  Consequently,  if  there  be  any 
tritheism  in  our  views  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  we 
must  carry  it  into  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement;  and  not 
only  so,  but  this  system  of  tritheism  must  be,  more  or  less, 
the  basis  upon  v/hich  our  views  of  the  Atonement  are 
founded;  and  hence  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement  will  be, 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  a  practical  development  and 
application  of  a  system  of  tritheism.  My  Lord,  I  cannot  but 
conceive  that  any  one  who  first  admits  the  fact,  as  you  have 
candidly  done,  of  an  introduction  of  tritheism  into  the  pop- 
ular views  of  the  Trinity,  m.ust  necessarily  admit  this  con- 
clusion. It  is  a  conclusion  which  is  not  adverted  to  in  the 
Essays,  although  it  appears  necessarily  to  follow  from  what 
you  have  stated;  but  it  is  one  which  is  openly  advanced  in 
the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  of  which  Your  Grace  says, 
that  "you  do  not  deny  that  they  include  the  fundamentals 
of  Christianity."  Of  these  fundamentals  the  follov/ing  is 
one  extracted  from  the  "Universal  Theology,"  art.  132. 

"It  is  a  fundamental  error  of  the  church  to  believe  the 
passion  of  the  cross  to  be  redemption  itself;  and  this  eiTor, 
together  with  that  relating  to  three  divine  persons  from 
eternity,  hath  perverted  the  whole  church,  so  that  nothing 
spiritual  is  left  remaining  in  it." 

"What  doctrine  doth  more  abound  in  the  books  of  the 
orthodox  at  this  day,  or  v/hat  is  more  zealously  taught  and 
insisted  on  in  the  schools  of  divinity,  or  more  constantly 
preached  and  cried  up  in  the  pulpit,  than  this, — that  God  the 
Father,  being  full  of  wrath  against  mankind,  not  only  sepa- 
rated them  from  himself,  but  also  sentenced  them  to  uni- 


DOCTRINES.  25 

versal  damnation,  thus  excommunicated  them  from  his  fa- 
vor; but  because  he  was  gracious  and  merciful,  that  he  per- 
suaded, or  excited,  his  Son  to  descend,  and  take  upon  him- 
self the  determined  curse,  and  thus  expiate  the  wrath  of 
his  Father;  and  that  thus,  and  no  otherwise,  could  the  Fa- 
ther be  prevailed  upon  to  look  again  with  an  eye  of  mercy 
on  mankind?  As  also,  that  this  was  effected  by  the  Son, 
who,  in  taking  upon  himself  the  curse  pronounced  against 
men,  suffered  himself  .to  be  scourged  by  the  Jews,  to  be 
spit  upon,  and,  lastly,  to  be  crucified  as  the  accursed  of  God, 
(Deut.  xxi.  23;)  and  that  the  Father  was  by  this  means  ap- 
peased, and,  out  of  love  towards  his  Son,  cancelled  the  sen- 
tence of  damnation,  yet  only  in  favor  of  those  for  whom 
the  Son  should  intercede,  who  was  thus  to  be  a  perpetual 
Mediator  in  the  presence  of  the  Father?  These  and  the 
like  doctrines  are  at  this  day  trumpeted  forth  from  the  pul- 
pit, and  re-echoed  from  the  walls  of  the  temple,  as  sound 
is  re-echoed  in  a  wood,  so  that  the  ears  of  all  present  are 
filled  with  it.  But  who,  that  hath  his  reason  enlightened 
and  restored  to  health  by  the  Word,  cannot  see  that  God  is 
mercy  and  clemency  itself,  because  he  is  love  itself  and 
goodness  itself,  and  that  these  constitute  his  essence;  and, 
consequently,  that  it  is  a  contradiction  to  say,  that  mercy 
itself,  or  goodness  itself,  can  behold  man  with  an  angry  eye, 
and  sentence  him  to  damnation,  and  still  abide  in  his  own 
divine  essence?  Such  dispositions  are  never  ascribed  to  a 
good  man  or  an  angel  of  heaven,  but  only  to  a  wicked  man 
and  spirit  of  hell;  it  is,  therefore,  blasphemy  to  ascribe  them 
to  God.  But,  if  we  inquire  into  the  cause  of  this  false 
judgment,  we  shall  find  it  to  be  this,  that  men  have  mista- 
ken the  passion  of  the  cross  for  redemption  itself:  hence 
have  flowed  those  opinions,  as  falses  flow  in  a  continued 
series  from  one  false  principle;  or,  as  from  a  cask  of  vine- 
gar nothing  but  vinegar  can  come  forth;  or,  as  from  an  in- 
sane mind  we  can  expect  nothing  but  insanity.  For  one 
point  being  taken  for  granted,  the  conclusions  that  are  made 
from  it  must  be  of  the  same  family,  because  they  are  included 
in  it,  and  are  severally  and  successively  produced  from  it: 
and  from  this  one  point  concerning  the  passion  of  the  cross, 
as  constituting  the  sum  of  redemption,  many  more  shock- 
ing and  impious  opinions,  scandalous  and  disgraceful  to 
God,  may  still  take  rise  and  go  forth  into  the  world,  until 
that  prophecy  of  Isaiah  is  fulfilled,  where  it  is  said,  ''The 
priest  and  the  prophet  have  erred  through  strong  drink, 
3 


'26  DOCTRINES. 

they  stumble  in  judgment;  all  tables  are  full  of  vomit  and 
lilthiness,"  (xxviii.  7,  8.) 

"From  this  idea  concerning  God  and  redemption,  the 
whole  system  of  theology  hath  lost  its  spirituality,  and  is 
become  in  the  lowest  degree  natural.  This  was  the  neces- 
sary consequence  of  ascribing  to  God  merely  natural  prop- 
erties and  attributes;  and  yet  on  the  idea  entertained  of  God, 
and  that  of  redemption,  which  makes  one  with  salvation,  ev- 
ery thing  that  hath  relation  to  the  cjiurch  depends.  For 
that  idea  is  like  the  head,  from  which  all  parts  of  the  body 
are  derived;  when,  therefore,  that  idea  is  spiritual,  every 
thing  that  belongeth  to  the  church  becometh  spiritual  also; 
but  when  that  idea  is  natural,  then  every  thing  belonging 
to  the  church  becomes  natural.  Now,  forasmuch  as  the 
idea  of  God  and  of  redemption  is  become  merely  natural, 
that  is,  sensual  and  corporeal,  it  follows  that  all  those  things 
are  merely  natural,  which  the  heads  and  members  of  the 
church  have  maintained,  and  do  maintain,  in  their  systems 
and  forms  of  doctrine.  The  reason  why  that  idea  must  of  ne- 
cessity give  birth  to  nothing  but  falses  is,  because  the  natural 
man  is  in  continual  opposition  to  the  spiritual  man,  and  thus 
regardeth  spiritual  things  as  airy  and  visionary  phantasies. 
It  may,  therefore,  be  truly  said,  that,  in  consequence  of  that 
sensual  idea  concerning  redemption,  and  thence  concern- 
ing God,  the  ways  toward  heaven,  which  are  those  that  lead 
to  the  Lord  God  the  Savior,  are  beset  with  thieves  and  rob- 
bers, (John  X.  1,8,  9,)  and  that  the  doors  of  the  temple  are 
thrown  down,  so  that  dragons  and  owls,  and  the  tzjim  and 
jiim  have  entered,  and  made  a  concert  of  dreadful  discord. 
That  this  idea  concernit:g  redemption,  and  concerning  God, 
pervades  the  faith  which  prevails  at  this  day  throughout  all 
Christendom,  is  an  acknowledged  truth;  for  that  faith  re- 
quires men  to  pray  to  God  the  Father,  that  he  would  remit 
their  sins  for  the  sake  of  the  cross  and  blood  of  His  Son; 
and  to  (iod  the  Son,  that  He  would  pray  and  intercede  for 
them;  and  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  He  would  justify 
and  sanctify  them:  and  what  is  all  this,  but  to  supplicate 
three  distinct  Gods,  one  after  another?  And,  in  such  a 
case,  how  can  the  notion  which  the  mind  forms  of  the  di- 
vine government  differ  from  that  of  an  aristocratical  or  hi- 
erarchical government?  or  from  that  of  the  triumvirate  which 
once  existed  at  Rome,  if  only  instead  of  a  triumvirate  it  be 
called  a  triumpersonate?  And  in  such  a  government,  what 
is  easier  than  for  the  devil  to  put  in  practice  the  old  maxim, 
divide  and  govern?  that  is,  to  distract  men's  minds  and  ex- 


DOCTRINES.  27 

cite  rebellious  motions,  sometimes  against  one  God,  and 
sometimes  against  another,  as  hath  been  his  practice  since 
the  time  of  Arius  to  this  day;  and  thus  to  thrust  the  Lord 
God  the  Savior  from  His  throne,  "Wio  liatli  all  poiver  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,''  (Matt,  xxviii.  18,)  and  to  exalt  some 
creature  of  his  own  in  His  place,  and  to  enjoin  men  to  wor- 
ship him,  or,  when  the  folly  of  this  is  detected,  to  destroy 
the  worship  of  the  Lord  Himself  together  with  that  of  the 
imaginary  idol." 

Since  the  time  that  Swedenborg  wrote,  there  has  been 
a  great  variety  of  modifications  of  these  views;  but,  so  far 
as  I  am  avvare,  they  all  involve,  among  those  who  acknowl- 
edge the  Lord's  Divinity,  the  two  principles  which  Sweden- 
borg has  laid  down  as  fundamental  errors, — that  of  the  ex- 
istence of  three  Divine  Persons  from  eternity,  and  that  of 
the  passion  of  the  cross  as  redemption  and  Atonement. 
"Some  consider  satisfaction  and  expiation  as  the  primar}^ 
principles  of  the  Atonement,  making  little  or  no  mention 
of  reconciliation.  Others  consider  reconciliation  to  be  the 
primary,  regarding  satisfaction  and  expiation  as  only  its 
secondary  features.  These  are  they  who.  in  general,  view 
the  Atonement  not  so  much  a  pacification  of  the  wrath  of 
the  Father,  as  a  display  of  his  justice;  and  hence,  as  a 
reconciliation  not  only  of  God  to  man,  and  of  man  to  God, 
but  of  God  to  Himself;  that  is,  of  his  attribute  of  justice 
to  his  attribute  of  1oy€.  Such  views  of  the  Atonement  we 
consider  to  be  untrue;  not  only  in  consequence  of  their 
involving  the  two  fundamental  errors  above  mentioned, 
but  because  we  believe  that  the  separation  of  the  divine 
attributes  neither  does,  nor  ever  did,  take  place  in  the 
Divine  Being,  but  in  man  alone.  When  a  person  acknowl- 
edges the  truth,  but  does  not  live  according  to  it,  there 
is  then  in  his  mind  a  separation  of  truth  from  love;  hence, 
the  truth  that  would  otherwise  save  him  then  condemns; 
in  which  case,  it  is  seen,  when  the  conscience  is  awaken- 
ed, witli  the  aspect  of  a  terrible  justice,  and  excites  in 
him  the  fear  of  an  everlasting  punishment;  still,  if  his 
abhorrence  of  sin  does  not  ultimately  become  an  inward  ab- 
horrence of  its  sinfulness,  as  opposed  to  the  Divine  Nature, 
but  arises  only  from  a  consideration  of  the  punishment  that 
has  been  inflicted  upon  another,  and  will  be  inflicted  upon 
himself,  he  has  no  true  idea  of  the  nature  of  sin,  or  of  the 
attributes  of  the  Divine  Being.  The  crucifixion  of  the 
Humanity,  to  which  the  Lord  submitted,  we  regard  not  as 
arising  primarily  from  the  will  of  the  Deity,  but  from  that 


28  DOCTRINES. 

of  the  devil.  It  was  undergone,  not  for  any  purpose  of 
reconciling  one  attribute  of  God  to  another,  but  only  of  re- 
conciling the  world  to  God;  not  for  any  purpose  of  exem- 
plifying in  the  person  of  the  Son,  the  justice  of  another 
person  of  the  Father,  but  for  the  purpose  of  enduring  those 
temptations  which  were  necessary  to  victory  over  the  pow- 
ers of  darkness,  the  glorification  of  the  Humanity,  and  the 
consequent  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  thus,  with  a  view 
to  rescue  mankind  from  infernal  influence,  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  exercise,  what  otherwise  they  could  not,  a  free 
choice,  and  to  be  restored  to  a  salvable  state. 

This  view  of  the  Atonement  as  a  manifestation  of  the 
Divine  love,  not  of  wrath,  or  of  justice  in  him  separate 
from  love,  may  be  illustrated  upon  principles  occasionally 
admitted  even  by  some  of  our  opponents.  Thus  in  the  Ho^ 
rce  Solitarm,  Mr,  Serle  remarks:  "God  is  love,  pure,  per- 
fect, and  incorruptible  love;  but  the  carnal  mind,  the  mind 
of  every  man  by  nature,  the  mind  which  is  under  the  do- 
minion of  his  flesh,  and  makes   this   flesh  his   only   end,  is 

corrupted,  debased,  and  absorbed  with  enmity." "As 

he  became  opposite  to  the  love  of  God,  he  became  possess- 
ed with  enmity;  being  contrary  to  the  holiness  of  God,  he 
was  filled  with  sin;  repugnant  to  the  goodness  of  God,  he 
was  seized  with  evil;  and  cut  off  from  the  life  of  God,  he 
inherited  death,  spiritual,  temporal,  and  eternal.  The  Di- 
vine Nature  could  not  be  contaminated  by,  nor  hold  com- 
munion with,  a  sinful  nature:  and  therefore  there  ensued  a 
separation  of  God  from  man,  which,  having  every  dreadful 
consequence  to  the  latter,  is  expressed  by  the  wrath,  abhor- 
rence, vengeance,  judgment,  &c.  of  God, — terms  adapted 
to  the  workings  and  capacities  of  the  human  mind,  and 
used  to  mark  out  its  entire  alienation  (with  the  sad  effects 
of  it)  from  its  Maker.  There  is  no  wrath  in  God,  as  wrath, 
because  He  is  wholly  love;  but  his  separation  of  man  from 
the  participation  of  his  love,  with  all  its  various  blessings, 
operates  upon  the  human  passions,  now  defiled  with  enmi- 
ty, under  the  notion?!  and  impressions  of  anger  and  indig- 
nation. Thus  God's  love,  being  pure  and  unapproachable 
by  sin,  becomes  a  most  dreadful  and  even  horrible  attribute 
to  a  sinner,  because,  as  a  sinner,  he  can  never  come  nigh  to 
God,  never  hold  communion  with  him,  nor  receive  delight 
or  blessedness  from  him.  And  if  divine  wisdom  had  not 
found  a  method  of  reconciliation,  human  nature  would  and 
must  have  sustained  whatever  can  be  conceived  under  the 
awful  idea  of  damnation,  or  the  state  of  absolute  rejection 


DOCTRINES.  29 

from   the    presence  of  God.     By  these    considerations   it 
might  appear,  were  it  necessary  to  extend  them,  that  enmi- 
ty,  sin,    wrath,    and   misery,  with  other  words  of  the  like 
import,  are  all  correlative  terms,  which  only  variously  ex- 
press the  nature  or  effects  of  man's   alienation  from  God," 
&.C.      "On  the  other  hand,  the  word  love  is  also  correlative, 
and  entirely  connected   with   every   other  divine   attribute 
and  perfection,  or  with  whatever  may  be  called  by  those 
names:  it  has,  and  can  have,  no  difference  from  them,  how- 
ever distinguished  by  a  merciful  condescension,  for  the  bet- 
ter comprehension  of  our  minds.     Righteousness,    for  in- 
stance, is  only  a  name  for  this  love  in  act  and  exercise;    for 
the  love  of  God  in  its  energies   does   only  what  is  right  or 
righteous.     Love  is  the  motive  of  all  his  actions,  according 
to  the  Scriptures;  and  by  communicating  this  love,  he  ren- 
ders it  the  essential  principle  of  all  righteous  action  in  man 
(John  iii.  16;  1  Cor,  xiii.  4,  &c.)*     Truth,  purity,  and  the 
like,  are  also  but  love   in  particular  foims,    actions,  or  as- 
pects.     In  short,    all  the    attributes  and  perfections  of  the 
Divine  Nature  have  their  essence  in  love,  and  the  term  love 
is  but  a  glorious  title  for  the  grand  assemblage  of  them,  de- 
nominating (as  the  Bible  hath)  the  first  and  supreme  nature. 
God  is  love,  then;  uniting,  as  in  that  one  attribute,  all  the 
other  predicaments  and  glories  of  liis  majesty  and  goodness, 
not  per  accidens,  but  in  essentiality;    and  with  respect  to 
his  creatures,   there  is  no  grace  nor  act  of  righteousness 
but  what  is  an  emanation  from  the  same  principle,  enliven- 
ing, invigorating,  and  making  them  happy."     (See  article. 
Love.)     Hence  it  follows,  that  in  God  justice  itself  is  only 
a  form  of  love;  to  reconcile,  therefore,  justice  to  love,  or 
love  to  justice,  is  to  reconcile  love  to  itself,   a  reconcilia- 
tion which  it  never  needed.     Justice  and  love,  therefore, 
were  never  separated  in  God,  but  were  always  one;   and 
in  this  oneness  consists  the   perfection  of  the  Divine  Na- 
ture.   The  Atonement,  therefore,  wrought  by  Jesus  Christ, 
was  the  reconciliation,  in  his  own  person,  of  the  Humanity 
to  the  Divinity,  by  which  the  Humanity  became  one  with 
the  Father,   or   the  Divinity.       This  being   effected,    the 
Holy  Spirit  could  descend  and  assist  man  in  a  correspond- 
ing work,  the  reconciliation  of  his  humanity  to  that  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;   a  reconciliation  which  takes  place  by 

*  It  is  singular  to  observe  Iiow  this  author,  after  having  made  the  foregoing 
excellent  remarks,  comes  into  collision  with  his  own  principles. 

3* 


30  DOCTRINES. 

renouncing  sin,  overcoming  evil,  receiving  the  Divine 
Love  and  Wisdom  into  our  nature,  and  thus  being  trans- 
formed into  the  image  of  Christ. 

It  v.ill  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Atone- 
ment, as  explained  by  Swedenborg,  involves  a  view  of  the 
divine  perfections  fundamentally  differing  from  those  which 
are  commonly  received;  the  consequence  is,  that,  as  the 
waters  of  the  fountain  are  different,  so  are  all  the  streams 
which  issue  from  it.*  A  false  idea  of  God  cannot  consist 
with  the  worship  of  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  "  Upon  a 
just  idea  of  God,"  says  Swedenborg,  "is  founded  the 
universal  heaven;  and,  upon  earth,  the  universal  church; 
and,  in  general,  all  religion;  inasmuch  as  by  such  idea 
conjunction  is  effected;  and  by  conjunction,  light,  wisdom, 
and  eternal  felicity."  (Preface  to  the  Apocalypse  Re- 
vealed.) "  The  idea  concerning  God  is  the  primary  of  all 
ideas;  for,  according  to  the  quality  thereof  with  man,  such 
are  his  communication  with  heaven  and  conjunction  with 
the  Lord;  and  hence,  such  are  his  illustration,  affection  of 
truth  and  good,  perception,  intelligence,  and  wisdom;  for 
these  things  are  not  from  man,  but  from  the  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  conjunction  with  Him."  (Apocalypse  Explained,  n. 
957.)  "A  knowledge,"  says  a  modern  writer,  "  of  the 
mode  in  which  God  exists,  is  the  foundation  of  all  accepta- 
ble religious  service.  For  without  this  knowledge,  instead 
of  worshipping  the  Deity  as  he  really  exists,  we  shall  be 
in  danger  of  worshipping  a  mere  figment  of  our  own  imagi- 
nation. And  thus,  while  we  suppose  ourselves  to  be  faith- 
ful servants  of  the  alone  true  God,  we  may,  effectively  at 

*  Althongli  the  disfinguished  aiitlior  of  the  Essays  appears,  in  his  varioug 
writings,  to  take  essmtially  the  same  views  of  the  Atonement  nith  those  which 
are  connmonly  received,  yet  ho  seems  to  have  avoided  mentioning  some  of  its 
moKt  objcction;>l)le  featmes.  We  repudiate,  however,  m  t<to,  not  ihe  doctrine, 
but  the  generally  received  explanation  of  the  doctrine.  Mr.  Law  is  very  un- 
sparing ui)on  this  subject.  "What,"  observes  he,  "  a  paltry  logic,  to  say,  God 
is  righteousness  and  justice  as  well  as  love,  and  therefore  his  love  cannot  help  or 
forgive  the  sinner  till  his  justice  or  righteous  wrath  has  satisfaction'?  Every 
word  here  is  in  full  ignorance  of  the  things  spoken  of;  for  what  is  love  in  God", 
but  his  will  to  all  goodness?  What  is  righteousness  in  God,  but  his  unchange- 
able love  of  his  own  goodness;  his  impossibility  of  loving  any  tiling  but  it;  liia 
impossibility  of  sufiering  any  thing  that  is  unrighteous  to  have  any  comninnion 
with  him?  What  is  God's  forgiving  sinful  manl  It  is  nothing  else  in  its  whole 
nature,  but  God's  making  him  righteous  again.  Inhere  is  no  oOirr forgiveness  of 
sin  but  btinp;  made  free  Jrom  il.^^  (Vol.  1.  No.  13.)  It  is  ji^stly  remarked  by 
Mr.  Law,  in  other  parts  of  his  works,  that  as  all  attributes  of  the  Creator  are 
infinite,  and  all  attributes  of  the  creature  finite;  so  if  thcro  be  wrath  in  the 
Creator,  it  must  be  an  infinite  wrath,  which  is  to  make  him  infinitely  worse 
than  any  man  or  devil. 


DOCTRINES.  31 

least,  be  guilty  of  adoring  an  idol."     (Faber's  Apostolicity 
of  Trinitarianism,     Introduction. ) 

Now  why  have  I  introduced  these  observations  ?  Sim- 
ply to  shew  what  are  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and 
Atonement,  popularly  received,  and  what  are  those  main- 
tained by  Swedenborg.  For  if  it  be  the  fact,  that  the  two 
are  not  in  coincidence,  it  will  follow,  that  so  much  of  the 
argument  in  the  Essays,  as  is  founded  upon  the  supposition 
that  they  are  practically  the  same,  falls  to  the  ground. 

Not  only,  however,  according  to  the  popular  views,  is 
the  Father  divided  in  himself,  by  setting  one  attribute 
against  another,  but  the  Son  is  divided  in  himself,  by  pos- 
sessing two  substances;  one  human,  the  other  divine;  one 
created,  the  other  uncreated;  one  finite,  the  other  infinite. 
The  subject  is  worthy  of  a  k\\  remarks. 

Swedenborg  explains  how  the  names,  Jesus  and  Christ, 
are  names  signifying  a  nature,  that  is  to  say,  the  Human 
nature  assumed  by  Jehovah.  What  follows  from  this  prin- 
ciple ?  That  in  the  Christian  church  Christ  is  not  worship- 
ped, inasmuch  as  the  Human  nature  is  not  worshipped; 
for  the  Human  nature  is  generally  considered  not  Divine. 
I  say,  not  Divine;  because,  although  most  persons  affirm 
that  they  do  consider  it  Divine,  inasmuch  as  it  partakes  of 
the  Divine  nature,  yei  it  is  obvious  that,  in  calling  the  Hu- 
man nature  of  Christ  Divine,  they  use  the  term  much  in 
the  same  sense,  as  v^^hen  they  speak  of  a  divine  counte- 
nance, or  divine  music,  or  of  the  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian as  divine,  from  his  participation  of  the  Divine  nature; 
thus  St.  Peter  says,  "whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promises,  that  by  these  ye  might  be 
partakers  of  the  Divine  nature."  (Ep.  2,  c.  i,  v.  4.) 
Hence,  also,  the  author  of  the  "Hora)  Solitariae"  observes, 
"human  life  upon  earth  maybe  distinguished  into  three 
modes  or  conditions,  natural,  artificial,  divine,  or  spirit- 
ual." Thus,  although  a  person  declares  that  he  believes 
the  Human  nature  of  the  Lord  to  be  Divine,  if  he  be  asked 
whether  it  be  infinite,  the  answer  is,  Decidedly  not;  for 
that  this  Human  nature,  notwithstanding  it  be  called  Di- 
vine, is  still  creaturely.  Hence  writers,  in  general,  speak 
of  the  Human  nature  of  the  Lord  as  still  finite;  and  if 
what  is  finite  and  created  can  be  no  object  of  divine  worship, 
so  neither  can  the  Human  or  Christ-nature  of  Jehovah. 

In  proof  of  the  assertion,  that  the  Humanity  of  the  Lord 
is  still  contemplated  as  creaturely,  allow  me  to  quote  a  few 
authorities.     I  might  quote  hundreds,  if  the  limits  of  this 


32  DOCTRINES. 

letter  would  allow  me.  Matthew  Henry  observes,  "The 
glorified  Humanity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  the 
dignity  and  power  conferred  on  it,  was  no  more  than  a 
glorious  creature."  (Comment.  1  Cor.  xv.  28.) — Dr. 
Owen  observes,  "That  He  (Jesus  Christ)  is  still  in  the 
same  Human  nature  wherein  he  was  on  the  earth,  that  he 
hath  the  same  rational  soul,  and  the  same  body,  is  a  fun- 
damental article  of  the  Christian  faith.  This  nature  of  the 
man  Christ  Jesus,  is  filled  with  all  the  divine  graces  and 
perfections,  ivhereof  a  limited  created  nature  is  capable.  It 
is  not  deified;  it  is  not  made  a  God;  it  does  not  in  heaven 
coalesce  into  one  nature  with  the  divine,  by  a  composition 
of  them;  it  has  not  any  essential  property  of  the  Deity 
communicated  to  it,  so  as  subjectively  to  reside  in  it;  it  is 
not  made  omniscient,  omnipresent,  omnipotent;  but  it  is 
exalted  in  a  fulness  of  all  divine  perfection  !  ineffably  above 
the  glory  of  angels  and  men.  It  is  incomprehensibly 
nearer  God  than  they  all;  has  communications  from  God 
in  glorious  light,  love,  and  power,  ineffably  above  them 
all — bid  it  is  still  a  creaiure.'"  (Glory  of  Christ,  ch.  vii.) — 
Your  Grace,  also,  having  observed,  that  "when  we  wor- 
ship Christ,  though  we  worship  Him  not  as  man,  but  as 
God,"  proceeds,  a  little  subsequently,  *  as  follows  :  (Es- 
says, p.  168.)  "When  I  say,  however,  that  we  worship 
Christ  not  as  man,  but  as  God,  I  mean  only,  that  the  wor- 
ship which  evidently  the  apostles  and  their  immediate  dis- 
ciples paid,  and  were  taught  to  pay,  to  Him,  was  not  di- 
rected to  a  mere  man,  however  high  in  the  divine  favor, 
but  to  God  '  manifest  in  the  flesh.'  I  am  far  from  suppos- 
ing that  the  generality  of  Christians,  that  is,  the  unlearned 
and  unphilosophical,  Mere,  or  can  be,  capable  of  making, 
in  their  worship,  a  complete  mental  separation  of  the  two 
Natures,  abstracting  distinctly,  and  contemplating  solely, 
the  divine  character,  and  laying  aside  all  consideration  of 
the  Human  Nature,  of  Christ.  This  may  be  possible  for 
an  acute,  and  learned,  and  reflective  philosopher,  without 
his  adopting  the  notion  into  which  the  attempt  seems  to 
have  led  some  of  those  early  heretics,  who  regarded  our 
Lord  as  two  Persons, — the  man,  Jesus,  and  Christ,  a  dis- 
tinct emanation  of  the  Deity.  The  distinction,  I  say,  it 
may  be  possible  for  a  profound  and  reflective  mind  so  to 
draw,  as  yet  to  keep  clear  of  that  heresy;  but  the  bare 

*  The  whole  passage  is  far  too  lon^  to  be  extraoted,  but  as  it  is  an  important 
one,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  original.  This  is  tiie  only  way  in  which /w// 
justice  can  be  done,  either  to  the  Essays,  or  to  the  present  argument. 


DOCTRINES.  33 

description  of  such  an  abstractive  process  of  thought, 
would,  I  conceive,  have  as  much  perplexed  the  greater 
part  of  the  early  disciples,  as  it  manifestly  would  the  gen- 
erality of  unlearned  Christians  now.  The  apostles  and 
their  hearers  would  have  told  us  simply,  that  they  address- 
ed their  prayers  to  a  Being  whom  they  regarded  as  both 
divine  and  human, — "the  man  Christ  Jesus,  in  whom 
'  dwelleth  '  (not  some  emanation  or  portion  of  the  Deity, 
but)  'all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  bodily.'  They  ad- 
dressed Him  in  their  worship  by  his  human  name;  as, 
'Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit,'  &c.  Nor  could  they,  in- 
deed, have  invoked  Him  as  their  Intercessor  and  Mediator, 
by  virtue  of  his  meritorious  sacrifice,  keeping  out  of  their 
minds  the  Human  Nature  which  those  offices  imply.  And 
if  such  is  the  impression  naturally  produced  in  the  gene- 
rality of  simple  unphilosophical  minds,  it  cannot  be  a  practi- 
cally incorrect  one,"  &.c.  &c.  &c.  "The  apostles  do, 
indeed,  direct  our  worship  exclusively  to  God;  but  to 
'  God  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself:  '  nor 
do  they  dwell  on  the  necessity  of  making,  in  our  devotions, 
any  mental  separation  of  the  two  Natures  of  that  Person 
who  is  the  object  of  our  worship.  On  the  contrary,  ob- 
serve how,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  Paul  presents 
to  our  view  the  divine  and  the  human  attributes  of  the  Sa- 
vior almost  simultaneously;  'in  whom,'  says  he,  'we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins; 
who  is  the  Image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born  of  ev- 
ery creature  {nQOTOToy.og  nuaiig  nj'.aeo);,  born  before  all  crea- 
tures,) for  by  Him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven, 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible.'  (Col.  i.  14, 
15,  16.^  "  To  these  observations.  Your  Grace,  in  accord- 
ance With  the  generally  received  views,  adds  the  following 
remark: 

"That  the  notions  conveyed,  by  such  expressions,  to  a 
plain  reader,  are  philosophically  correct,  I  will  not  undertake 
to  maintain:  it  is  sufficient  that  they  are  scriptural." 

Now,  to  say  nothing  of  a  notion  which  it  seems  is  not 
practically  incorrect,  but  is  so  philosophically,  I  would 
observe,  it  appears  that  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  Human 
nature  as,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term.  Divine;  that  a 
simple  unphilosophical  mind  would  be  disposed  to  form  the 
same  conception  of  it;  that  such  a  conception  is,  in  point 
of  fact,  untrue;  and  that  it  is  only /Ae  acute,  learned,  and 
reflective  philosopher,  who  is  capable  of  making  a  complete 
mental  separation  of  the  two  natures,  abstracting  distinctly 


34  DOCTRINES. 

and  contemplating  solely  the  divine  character,  and  laying 
aside  all  consideration  of  the  human  nature,  of  Christ.  From 
the  authors  first  quoted,  it  Hkewise  appears,  that  the  hu- 
manity of  Christ,  is  not,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term, 
Divine.  Your  Gi-ace,  however,  shews  how  the  apostles 
did  appear  to  consider  it  so;  how  the  simple  minded  might 
be  disposed  to  do  the  same;  but  you  observe,  that,  philoso- 
phically, it  is  not  correct;  that  is  to  say,  although  the  ex- 
pressions appearing  to  attribute  Divinity  to  the  Humanity 
may  be  scriptural,  nevertheless,  that  the  Humanity  is,  in 
the  strict  sense  of  the  term.  Divine,  is  not  the  fact.  This, 
I  believe,  is  no  peculiar  notion  of  Your  Grace,  but  one 
which  is  generally  considered  orthodox.  Now  permit  me 
to  observe,  that  Swedenborg  so  far  agrees  with  Your  Grace 
as  to  admit,  that  the  acute,  learned,  and  reflective  philoso- 
pher, is  capable  of  making  this  distinction,  or  rather  sep- 
aration, between  the  Divine  and  Human  natures;  that  this 
separation  the  apostles  did  not  make,  the  simple-minded 
Christian  cannot  make,  but  the  Church  has  made;  and 
this,  he  maintains,  has  been  the  great  source  of  all  the 
mystery  and  confusion  which  have  prevailed  upon  the  sub- 
ject. This  is  a  vital  point,  and  upon  this  question  the 
whole  system  of  Swedenborg  stands  or  falls.  That  the 
infirm  human  nature  which  the  Lord  asssumed  in  the 
womb  of  the  virgin,  and  which  hungered,  thirsted,  was 
wearied,  tempted,  and  put  to  death  upon  the  cross,  was 
Divine,  Swedenborg  does  not  admit;  and  in  this,  I  pre- 
sume, that  he  and  Your  Grace  are  both  agreed.  But 
there  is  one  thing  which  forms  a  leading  feature  in  his 
Avorks,  and  which  is  wholly  left  out  of  the  common  system 
of  divinity;  I  mean,  the  process  by  which  that  Human 
nature  was  sanctified,  glorified,  and  tlius  united  or  made 
one  with  the  Father,  The  Humanity,  thus  glorified,  we 
consider  to  be  the  Humanity  which  Christ  now  has;  and 
that  this  Humanity  is,  in  the  strictest  sense.  Divine,  is  the 
fundamental  doctrine  of  the  system  of  Swedenborg.  Let 
us  proceed  to  consider  this  question;  and  in  so  doing, 
although  it  may  appear,  from  the  mode  of  speaking  of  it, 
that  the  doctrine  is  only  speculative  and  unconnected  with 
practice,  the  result  will  shew  that  it  involves  the  whole 
system  of  Christian  life  and  conduct,  and  leads  to  a  revo- 
lution in  all  our  motives  and  moral  sentiments. 

In  speaking  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  it  is 
desirable  that  we  have  first  clear  ideas  of  what  constitutes 
humanity  or  human  nature.     That  by  which  we  are  distin- 


DOCTRINES.  35 

guished  as  human  beings,  is  the  possession  of  a  will  and 
understanding;  and  the  perfection  of  these  consists  in  will- 
ing what  is  good,  and  understanding  what  is  true;  so  that 
the  more  good  we  will,  and  the  more  truth  we  understand, 
the  more  are  we  truly  human,  and  the  more  completely  are 
we  distinguished,  as  such,  from  the  rest  of  the  animal  cre- 
ation. If,  therefore,  it  be  2;ood  and  truth  which  makes  us 
human,  then  are  these  two  the  essential  human  principles; 
and  in  this  point  of  view,  to  speak  of  an  infinite  humanity, 
is  no  other  than  to  speak  of  infinite  good  and  truth.  Hence, 
to  consider  our  Lord's  humanity  as  finite,  is  to  consider  his 
goodness  and  truth  as  finite;  and,  since  his  goodness  and 
truth  are  manifested  only  in  his  Word,  it  is  to  consider  his 
Word  as  finite,  that  is  to  say,  as  possessing  only  a  crea- 
turely  wisdom.  Such,  then,  as  are  our  views  of  the  Lord's 
Humanity,  such  must  be  our  views  of  his  goodness  and 
truth,  or  his  Word;  and  such  as  are  our  views  of  his 
Word,  such  must  be  our  views  of  his  Humnnity.  When, 
however,  we  speak  of  an  infinite  humanity,  or  infinite  good- 
ness Lnd  truth,  we  speak  in  reference  to  what  is  interior; 
for  God  is  not  called  infinite  in  reference  to  space,  but  in 
reference  to  interiority,  that  is  to  say,  purity.  Hence, 
when  we  speak  of  infinity  of  wisdom,  we  do  not  speak  in 
regard  to  quantity,  but  to  quality;  thatisto  say,  interiority 
and  purity.  The  more  interior  is  our  wisdom,  the  more  do 
we  see  of  the  internality  or  infinity  of  the  divme  wisdom; 
the  purer  we  are,  the  more  do  we  see  of  the  divine  purity; 
the  more  spiritual  we  are,  the  more  do  we  see  of  the  divine 
spirituality.  To  attempt  to  contemplate  God,  therefore, 
out  of  his  Humanity,*   is  to   attempt  to   contemplate  Him 

*  Dr.  Hey,  formerly  Divinity  Lecturer  of  Cambriflfre,  amongst  oilier  remarks 
■with  rrgard  to  Swedenborg  in  liis  lectures,  makes  the  following:  "In  the  sum- 
mary ol  the  doctrines  of  Swedeni^oig,  we  find  this  account  (f  tiie  Trinity. 
There  i.*  a  Divine  'I'rinity  of  Father,  JSon,  and  Holy  Ghost,  or,  in  other  words, 
of  the  all-begetting  Divinity,  the  Divine  Humanity,  and  the  Di\ine  Proceeding 
or  Operation,  and  that  this  Tiinilv  consisteth  not.  therefore,  of  three  distinct 
persons,  but  is  united  as  soul,  body,  and  operation  in  man,  in  ihe  one  person  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  therefoie,  is  (he  God  of  heaven,  and  alone  to  be 
worshipped,  being  Creator  from  eternity.  Redeemer  in  lime,  and  Regenerator 
to  eternity.  I  meiitmn  this  notion  chiefly  on  account  of  its  making  ;he  Father 
no  object  of  our  worship,  and  dropping  also  all  worship  to  the  Holv  Ghost." 
Book  IV.  art  1.  sect.  6.  In  reply  to  this  it  may  1  e  observed,  St.  Paul  says, 
God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  thai  is,  as  we  interpret 
the  expression,  the  Father  was  in  ihe  Son,  reconc  ling  the  woi  Id  unto  himself. 
Now,  if  a  person  worships  Christ,  I  suppose  he  worships  God  in  Christ:  for 
were  God  not  in  Christ,  Christ  could  not  be  an  object  of  divine  worship.  Sup- 
pose now  I  were  to  say,  that  in  this  case,  a  person  worshi[>ping  Christ  does  not 
worship  God,  or  because  he  worshipped  God  in  Christ  alone,  he  did  not  contem- 


36  DOCTRINES 

out  of  his  goodness  and  truth;  for  goodness  and  truth  are 
the  essential  human  principles,  or  the  Humanity,  of  which 
the  outward  body  is  but  the  ultimate  form;  and  since  the 
Word  of  God  is  a  revelation  of  his  goodness  and  truth,  to 
attempt  to  contemplate  God  out  of  his  Humanity,  is  to  at- 
tempt to  contemplate  him  out  of  his  Word,  or  independent- 
ly of  any  revelation  he  has  made  of  Himself;  and  to  think 
we  thus  can  know  Him,  is  as  absurd  as  to  think  we  can 
climb  up  into  heaven  by  some  other  way  than  the  one  which. 
He  has  opened.  The  Divinity,  considered  independently 
of  the  Humanity,  transcends  all  possible  thought  of  angels 
and  of  men;  it  has  no  conceivable  distinctions,  hence  no 
conceivable  attributes  or  perfections.  It  is,  therefore,  in 
the  Humanity  alone,  that  the  Divinity  has  any  relation  to 
us,  and  through  the  medium  of  that  Humanity  alone,  that 
we  can  approach  to  the  Divinity;  which  Humanity  is, 
therefore,  our  mediator;  hence  we  can  speak  of  God's 
love,  truth,  mercy,  wisdom,  and  so  forth,  all  of  which  per- 
fections evidently  exhibit  the  human  character  and  nature. 
Goodness  and  truth,  therefore,  being  the  essential  human 
principles,  of  which  the  body  is  but  the  ultimate  or  corporeal 
form,  it  follov/s  that,  as  the  Lord  alone  is  essential  goodness 
and  truth,  He  alone  is  truly  Man,*  and  that  human  beings 
become  men,  or  human,  only  in  proportion  as  they  receive 

plate  God  as  an  object  of  worship;  would  tliis  be  considered  a  jnst  conclnsionl 
JVow,  as  God  is  in  Chiist,  so  the  Father  is  in  the  Son;  we  coidd  not  worship 
the  Son  if  die  Father  were  not  in  Him;  it  is  because  ihe  Fadier  is  in  the  Son 
that  we  worship  the  Son,  knowing  that,  in  thus  worsiiipping  the  Son,  we  wor- 
ship the  Father  also,  nay  that  we  cannot  worsliip  the  Fatlier  in  any  other  way; 
for  we  know  nothing  of  the  Father  out  of  tlie  Son,  liierefure,  we  cannot  wor- 
ship the  Father  out  of  the  S^n.  Tlicy  rather  make  tlie  Father  no  object  of  di- 
vine worsliip,  wlio  think  to  wor>hip  hini  out  of  the  Son;  —  for  as  out  of  the 
Son  we  can  know  nothing  of  Him,  so  to  worship  that  of  which  we  know  noth- 
ing, is  to  worship  we  know  not  what,  which  is  in  fact  no  woiship  at  all.  We, 
the-re'bre,  worship  '  hrist  alone,  because  it  is  in  Christ  alone  that  the  F'ather  is, 
or  in  whom  is  all  fidness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  It  is  the  attempt  to  produce 
division  in  the  Gocihead,  and  hence  a  divided  worship,  that  has  produced  divi- 
sion n  the  church.  If,  in  he  way  in  which  it  is  generally  understood.  God  be 
three,  how  can  the  church  be  onel  If  there  be  a  divided  Godhead,  how  can 
there  be  an  undivided  churchl 

*  As  it  is  not  my  design  to  enter  upon  this  subject  any  farther  than  is  con- 
nected with  the  argument  in  the  Essays,  the  reader  is  referred,  for  a  more  full 
explanation  of  it,  to  the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  At  the  same  time,  to  guard 
against  misypprehension,  it  n)ay  be  well  to  observe,  that,  as  the  Divinity  never 
was  known  except  through  the  medium  of  a  Humanity,  so  the  Humanity  with 
which  He  is  now  clothed,  is  a  Humanity  in  ultimates,  or  in  a  lower  degree 
than  was  possessed  by  the  Lord  before  He  came  into  the  woild,  and  assumed  a 
body  in  the  womb  of  the  virgn;  it  being  only  through  the  medium  of  this 
lower  degree,  or  Divine  Humanity  in  ultimates^  that  the  Divinity  can  now  be 
approached. 


DOCTRINES.  37 

of  His  nature.     Hence  it  is  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg, 
that  the  Lord  alone  is  a  perfect  Man,  or  that  His  Divinity 
alone  is  perfectly  Human,  or,  again,  that  that  only  is  per- 
fectly  human  which   is   infinite.      We   cannot,    therefore, 
know  God  as  He  is  in  Himself,  but  we  can  know  Him  as 
He  is  in  His  Humanity;   and  since  He  has  a  Divine  or 
Infinite  Humanity,  and  we  a  humanity  finite  and  creaturely, 
therefore  there  is  a  relation  of  analogy  established  between 
the  two;   but  there   is  no  traceable   analogy  betvveen  our 
finite   humanity   and  His    Divinity    independently   of  His 
Humanity,  because  that  Divinity  is  antecedent  to  any  rela- 
tion to  the  creature,  being  sole,  supreme,  and  independent. 
It  is  from  not  attending  to  this  circumstance,  that  some 
appear  to  have  fallen  into  error  upon  the  subject  of  anal- 
ogy.    From  not  having  any  just  idea  of  a  Divine  Humanity, 
they  think  that,  in  contemplating  God,  they  must  contem- 
plate the  Divinity  independently  of  the  Humanity;   hence 
they  think  that  there  is  no  analogy  betvveen  the  perfections 
of  the  Almighty  and  the  attributes  of  human  nature,  and, 
consequently,  that,  know  what  we  may  of  Him,  we,  after 
all,  know  nothing.     No  w^onder,  for  the  reasons  we  have 
stated,  they  should  come  to  this  conclusion;   for,  in  conse- 
quence of  separating  the  Divine  Nature  from  the  Human, 
they  have  only  indefinite  ideas  of  the  Divinity;    and,  in  con- 
sequence of  separating  the  Human  from  the  Divine,  they 
contemplate  the  Human  only  as  creaturely,   and  therefore, 
either,    as  in  the  former   case,  know  nothing  whatever  of 
God,  or  else,  as  in  the  latter,   consider  Him  to  be  such  a 
one  as  themselves;  that  is  to  say,  their  theology  is  either 
a  system  of  self-originated  abstract  reasonings,  or  of  natu- 
ral, carnal,  and  sensual  ideas.     The  truth  of  this  circum- 
stance we  may  see  exemplified  in  those  speculations  which 
have  gone  under  the  name  of  profound  philosophy;  and  the 
system  of  naturalism,  which  has  often  become  current  un- 
der the  name  of  the  plain  and  practical  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity.    Thus  v,e   find  the   Christian   community  divided 
into  two  classes,  one  understanding  the  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity in  the  lowest  and  most  carnal  manner,  in  which  case 
they  see  little  or  no  mystery  in  them;  while  the  more  edu- 
cated and  reflecting,   perceiving  the  impossibility  of  such 
things,  confess  they  have  no  clear  notions  upon  the  subject, 
and,  in  fine,  that  neavlij  the  whole  is  unintelligible.     Hence, 
the  Doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  Atonement,  vSatisfaction,   In- 
tercession, and  Mediation.  &lc.,   are,   one  after  the  other, 
proclaimed  to  be   mysteries   inscrutable,    and   the   truth, 
4 


38  DOCTRINES. 

which  was  intended  to  be  the  light  of  the  soul,  is  contem- 
plated as  abyssal  darkness;  the  pious  few  awaiting  the 
period  when  God  in  His  mercy  may  vouchsafe  a  clearer 
revelation. 

If  the  Human  nature  be  the  only  medium  through  which 
we  can  have  any  idea  of  the  Deity,  it  follows,  that  if  that 
Human  nature  be  iinite  and  creaturely,  our  ideas  of  God 
must  be  of  Him  as  a  iinite  creaturely  being,  far  above  all 
ang<?ls  it  may  be,  but  still  finite  and  creaturely;  as  such. 
Me  must  conceive  Him  as  possessed  of  a  nature  the  same 
with  our  own,  and  worship  a  being  like  ourselves;  the  con- 
sequence will  be  the  imitation  of  an  imperfect  model,  com- 
paratively low  ideas  of  the  Divine  perfections,  a  compara- 
tively low  standard  of  religion  or  of  life  and  conduct,  and 
hence,  a  degenerated  church.  This  it  is  which  Sweden- 
borg  maintains  to  be  the  key  to  the  present  state  of  the 
Christian  community,  "they  know  not  the  thoughts  of  the 
Lord,  neither  understand  they  his  counsel."  True  it  is^ 
that,  as  Swedenborg  observes,  (Apocalypse  Explained, 
649,)  "At  the  end  of  the  church  the  Lord  is  indeed 
preached,  and,  also  from  doctrine.  Divinity  is  Eittributed  to 
him,  like  to  the  Divinity  of  the  Father;  but,  notwithstand- 
ing, scarce  any  one  thinks  of  His  Divinity,  by  reason  of 
their  placing  it  above  or  without  His  Humanity;  where- 
fore, when  they  look  to  His  Divinity,  they  do  not  look  to 
the  Lord,  but  to  the  Father,  as  to  another;  when,  notwith- 
standing, the  Divinity,  which  is  called  the  Father,  is  in  the 
Lord,  as  He  Himself  teacheth  in  John  x.  30,  38;  xiv.  7, 
Hence  it  is,  that  man  doth  not  think  of  the  Lord  otherAvise 
than  as  of  a  common  man,  and  from  that  thought  flows  his 
faith;  howsoever  he  may  say  with  his  lips  that  he  belie veth 
His  Divinity.  Let  any  one  explore,  if  he  can,  the  idea  of 
his  thought  concerning  the  Lord,  whether  it  be  not  such  as 
is  here  described;  and  when  it  is  such,  he  cannot  be  con- 
joined to  Him  in  faith  and  love,  nor,  by  any  conjunction, 
receive  any  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith.  Hence  then 
it  is,  that  in  the  end  of  the  church  there  is  not  any  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  Lord,  that  is,  of  the  Divine  (princi- 
ple) in  the  Lord  and  from  the  Lord.  It  appears,  indeed, 
as  if  the  Divine  (principle)  of  the  Lord  was  acknowledged, 
because  it  is  afhrmed  in  the  doctrine  of  the  church;  but 
whilst  the  Divine  (principle)  is  separated  from  His  Human, 
His  Divine  (principle)  is  not  yet  acknowledged  inwardly, 
but  only  outwardly;  and  to  acknowledge  it  outwardly,  is 
to  acknowledge  it  only  with  the  mouth  and  not  in  the  heart, 


DOCTRINES.  39 

or  •with  speech  only  and  not  in  faith." — Now  the  Humanity 
of  the  Lord  being  infinite,  and  our  Human  nature  being 
finite,  it  is  clear  that,  as  finite  beings  can  never  have  ade- 
xjuate  ideas  of  what  is  infinite,  so  we  can  never  have  ade- 
quate ideas  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  Still,  our  ideas, 
though  finite,  may,  as  we  have  said,  be  true,  being  founded 
on  a  real  analogy  between  the  Humanity  of  the  creature 
and  that  of  the  Creator.  Consequently,  our  knowledge  of 
God  may  be  as  certain,  as  it  is  certain  we  may  be  an  im- 
age and  likeness  of  God;  for,  in  regard  to  Divine  Wisdom, 
we  have  the  faculty  of  receiving  only  that  which  we  have 
the  faculty  of  being ,  and  no  further.  Though  our  finite 
affections  and  thoughts,  therefore,  can  never  be  adequate 
to  the  Love  and  Wisdom  of  The  Infinite,  any  more  than 
we  can  be  infinite,  yet  The  Infinite  may  be  in  them,  nrak- 
ing  them  so  many  finite  likenesses  and  images  of  Himself 
Nevertheless,  He  is  not  in  us  in  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily,  or  in  the  fulness  of  his  glorious  person;  but 
that  which  is  in  us,  is  the  Holy  Spirit  proceeding  from 
Him,  and  which,  in  coming  down  to  our  souls,  is  adapted 
to  them,  just  as  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun,  in  passing 
through  the  atmospheres,  become  finally  accommodated  to 
each  created  object,  according  to  its  nature  and  require- 
ments. Thus  it  is,  the  spirit  of  man  stands  in  the  same 
relation  to  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  in  which  the  body  of 
man  stands  to  the  outward  and  visible  sun.  Thus  also  it 
is,  man  walks  between  two  great  lights,  the  one  to  enlighten 
his  body,  the  other,  if  he  pleases,  to  enlighten  his  soul. 

Although  all  the  authoi's  with  which  I  am  acquainted, 
consider  the  Humanity  of  the  Lord  to  be  finite  and  crea- 
turely,  yet,  some  of  the  learned  and  pious  appear  to  have 
seen  obscurely  the  possibility  of  an  infinite  or  Divine  Hu- 
manity. Thus  Hooker,  Eccles.  Pol.  Book  5,  after  repeat- 
edly speaking  of  Christ  as  a  creature,  makes  the  following 
observation:  "Touching  the  manner  how  he  worketh  as 
man  in  all  things,  the  principal  powers  of  the  soul  of  man 
are  the  will  and  understanding,  the  one  of  which  two  in 
Christ  assenteth  unto  all  things,  and  from  the  other  noth- 
ing which  Deity  doth  Avork  is  hid;  so  that,  by  knowledge 
and  assent,  the  soul  of  Christ  is  present  with  all  things 
which  the  Deity  of  Christ  worketh.  And  even  the  body  of 
Christ  itself,  although  the  definite  limitation  thereof  be 
most  sensible,  doth,  notwithstanding,  admit,  in  some  sort,  a 
kind  of  infinite  and  unlimited  presence  likewise;"  the 
nature  of  which  the   pious   and  learned  author  proceeds 


40  DOCTRINES. 

afterward  in  his  own  way  to  explain.  There  are  others 
who  affirm  that  Christ  had  a  kind  of  Humanity  before  he 
came  upon  earth;  and  although  they  do  not  appear  to  have 
any  distinct  idea  of  what  they  mean,  yet  the  very  admission 
tacitly  implies  an  intinity  in  the  Humanity,  unless  they  con- 
sider Christ  as  a  creature  before  he  came  upon  earth, 
which,  it  is  presumed,  most  persons  would  not  do.  Be- 
sides, the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  might  itself  be 
considered  a  symbol  of  some  kind  of  presence  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  that  is  to  say,  of  his  Humanity;  and 
this  itself  might  shew  ns  the  possibility  of  an  omnipresent, 
infinite,  or  Divine  Humanity. 

Now,  why  have  I  entered  into  this  subject  t  Because, 
if  the  Humanity  of  the  Lord  be  Divine,  if  it  be  God,  what 
becomes  of  the  modern  system  of  popular  theology.?  "An 
absolutely  perfect  creature,"  says  Archbishop  King,  "im- 
plies a  contradiction.  For  it  would  be  of  itself  and  not  of 
itself  at  the  same  time.  Absolute  perfection  is,  therefore, 
peculiar  to  God,  and  if  he  should  communicate  his  own 
peculiar  perfection  to  another,  that  other  would  he  God,'^ 
(Origin  of  Evil,  Chap.  3.)  We  cannot  consider,  then,  the 
Humanity,  as  some  appear  to  do  confusedly,  both  as  finite 
and  infinite:  it  is  either  one,  or  the  other:  it  is  either 
Divine  or  not  Divine:  it  is  either  an  object  of  worship,  or 
it  is  not  an  object  of  Avorship.  If  it  be  an  object  of  wor- 
ship, then  we  address  our  prayers  to  Christ  alone,  that  is, 
to  the  Divine  Humanity  alone,  because  in  that  Humanity 
alone  can  the  Divinity  or  Jehovah  be  approached,  this  Hu- 
manity being  the  manifestation  of  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily.  Hence,  all  those  carnal  notions  of  Me- 
diation and  Intercession,  popularly  entertained,  we  reject, 
as  unworthy  of  the  Deity  and  unfounded  in  Scripture;  it 
being  obvious,  from  the  admission  made  in  the  Essays,  that 
the  separation  between  the  Divine  and  Human  natures  of 
the  Lord,  the  apostles  did  not  make,  the  simple-minded 
Christian  could  not  make,  but  the  acute,  learned,  and  re- 
flective philosopher  has  made.*     Nevertheless,  allow  me  to 

*  Some  of  the  practical  evils  mentioned  by  Swedenborg  as  resulting  from 
not  considering  the  Lord's  Human  nature  Divine,  are  the  following: — 

1.  Ignorance  of  God  among  the  learned,  who  contemplate  the  Divine  nature 
out  of  I  lie  Human. 

2.  Ignorance  of  God  amon<T  the  unlearned  and  sensual;  because  they  con- 
template the  Human  natine  out  of  the  Divine  ;  and  so,  by  considering  Christ  as 
a  creature  and  yet  God,  degrade  the  Divine  Being  to  the  level  of  a  creature,  or 
to  one  like  themselves. 


DOCTRINES.  41 

express  my  conviction,  that  much  of  what  Your  Grace  has 
said  upon  the  subject,  is  worthy  of  a  truly  enlightened 
mind,  and  deserves  the  profound  attention  of  every  member 
of  the  Church  of  Christ.  I  refer  more  particularly  to  the 
following  passage  in  Your  Grace's  sermon  on  the  Name  of 
Emmanuel. 

"There  are,  indeed,  very  few  Christian  prayers  ex- 
pressly recorded  in  Scripture;  but  from  those  few,  it  should 
seem  that  our  Lord's  disciples  understood  his  injunction  to 
them,  to  2^raij  to  the  Father  in  His  name,  as  meaning  that 
they  were  to  address  their  lyrayers  direclhj  to  Christ,  and 
pray  to  God  in  Him.  This,  indeed,  if  you  consider  what 
has  been  said  on  the  use  of  the  word  name,  is  what  we 
might  naturally  have  supposed  ii^ould  be  their  interpretation 
of  tiie  command  to  ask  of  God  in  Christ's  name;  i.  e.  of 
God  as  manifested  in  Christ  for  the  redemption  of  the 
world.  And  the  few  instances  that  are  recorded,  go  to 
confirm  this.  Keeping  in  mind  that  the  title  of  'Lord,'  or 
'the  Lord,'  is  that  which  the  Christians  constantly  applied 
to  Jesus  Christ,  look  at  the  .prayer  recorded  in  the  begin- 
ning of  Acts,  where  they  apply  to  Him  who  had,  in  person, 
chosen  each  of  the  apostles,  to  fill  up  for  Himself  the  num- 
ber left  deficient  by  the  apostacy  of  Judas.  They  do  not 
say,  'Our  Father,  we  pray  thee,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ, 
to  fill  up  the  number  of  his  apostles,^  but  they  apply  themselves 
to  Him  direct,  sayings  'Thou  Lord!  u'ho  know  est  the  hearts 
of  all  men,  shew  whether  of  these  two  thou  hast  chosen.^ 
Again,  look  to  the  dying  prayers  of  the  blessed  martyr, 
Stephen,  whose  birthday  to  immortal  life  we  celebrate  to- 
morrow.    His  prayers  are  an  evident  imitation  of  those  of 

3.  A  consequent  tendency  in  some  to  unbelief  in  God,  arising  from  an  igno- 
rance of  his  nature. 

4.  The  support  of  the  Papacy,  because  when  Christ  is  considered  a  creature, 
and  nevertheless  invested  with  Divine  attributes,  it  is  less  repulsive  to  the  mind 
to  consider  another  creature  (as  the  Pope  for  instance)  to  be  invested  with  Di- 
vine power. 

5.  The  worship  of  angels,  because  if  one  creature  may  be  worshipped, 
another  may. 

6.  An  unbelief  in  angels,  or  any  intercourse  with  another  world ;  because 
the  Divine  when  contemplated  out  of  the  Human  is  no  object  of  thought  or  love, 
hence,  virtually,  a  nonentity;  consec[ucntly,  also,  heaven  and  hell. 

7.  Intercession  of  angels  and  saints;  because,  if  one  creature  may  intercede, 
another  may.  I  will  here  add,  that  after  once  communicating  to  a  Roman 
Catholic  the  true  idea  of  Christ's  intercession,  as  explained  by  Swedenborg, 
and  so  removing  the  common  idea  of  its  nature,  he  at  once  saw  the  folly  of  his 
belief  in  the  intercession  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  saints;  the  consequence 
of  which  was,  he,  of  his  own  accord,  renounced  the  whole  doctrine,  and  ad- 
dressed himself  to  the  Lord  alone. 

4# 


42  DOCTRINES, 

his  crucified  Master.  Yet  he  does  not  use  the  same  invoca- 
tion of  Father,  but  addresses  himself  direct  to  Christ.  Our 
Lord  had  said,  when  his  enemies  were  naihng  him  to  the 
cross,  'Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do;'  and  again,  when  about  to  expire,  'Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit.'  Stephen,  in  manifest  imita- 
tion of  him,  says,  ^Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge;' 
and,  again,  'Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.'  It  is  plain 
that  these  persons,  if  they  designed  at  all,  as  they  surely 
did,  to  obey  the  injunction  of  praying  to  the  Father  in 
Christ's  name,  must  have  supposed  themselves  to  be  con- 
forming to  it,  by  praying  immediatelij  to  Christ.  It  would 
perhaps  be  too  much  to  assert  positively,  that  they  prayed 
usual'y  in  this  form,  and  seldom  in  any  other;  but  it  is 
plain  that,  according  to  their  views,  such  might  have  been 
their  usual  practice;  and,  I  believe,  not  above*  one  in- 
stance of  a  departure  from  it  is  recorded.  It  is  remarka- 
ble, too,  that  of  the  same  character  is  the  oldest,  or  one  of 
the  oldest,  of  all  the  prayers  for  general  use,  that  have 
come  down  to  us  composed  by  an  uninspired  Christian; 
that  of  the  celebrated  Chrysostom,  retained  in  our  service. 
It  is  addressed  to  Christ  Himself,  with  the  title  of  'Al- 
mighty God,'  and  with  an  allusion  to  his  promise,  to  be 
present  in  the  midst  of  his  disciples,  and  that  they  should 
obtain  what  they  should  agree  to  ask,  in  a  common  or  joint 
supplication,  when  assembled  in  his  name — 'Almighty  God, 
who  hast  given  us  grace  at  this  time,  with  one  accord  to 
make  our  common  supplications  unto  thee,  and  dost  prom- 
ise, that  when  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  thy 
name,  thou  wilt  grant  their  request;  fultil  now,  O  Lord, 
the  desires  and  petitions  of  thy  servants,  as  may  be  most 
expedient  for  them;  granting  us  in  this  world  knowledge 
of  thy  truth,  and  in  the  v/orld  to  come  life  everlasting.'  " 

If  this  be  true,  what  becomes  of  the  phraseology  with 
which  prayers  in  general  are  opened  and  terminated?  what 
becomes  of  our  addresses  to  the  Father,  beseeching  him  to 
listen  to  the  prayers  of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  re- 
ceive us  for  His  sake  ?  what  becomes  of  the  popular  notions 

*  "  The  only  instance,  as  far  as  I  recollect,  recorded  of  the  employment,  by 
the  apostles,  oi'any  other  mode  of  address  to  God,  is  that  which  occnrred  after 
Peter  and  John  liad  been  brought  before  the  Jewish  rulers,  when  they  had 
healed  the  crijiple  at  the  temple  gate .  The  occurrence  suggests  to  the  assem- 
bly the  words  of  the  Psalm:  'The  rulers  took  counsel  together  against  the  Lord, 
and  against  his  Christ'  (or  iVnointed.)  And  it  appears  as  if  they  were  thence 
led  to  speak  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  third  person,  in  tlicir  prayer  on  tlie  only  re- 
corded occasion  in  which  they  do  so." 


DOCTRINES.  43 

of  Christ,  as  an  Advocate,  pleading  His  merits  to  the 
Father,  and  interceding  with  Him,  for  the  sake  of  these 
merits,  to  send  the  third  person  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  That 
Christ  is  an  Intercessor,  that  he  is  a  Mediator,  that  he  is 
an  Advocate,  we  have  the  authority  of  Scripture;  but  we 
do  not  consider  that  we  have  any  such  authority  for  those 
earthly  ideas,  which  are  commonly  entertained  upon  this 
subject.  That  Scripture  accommodates  itself  to  the  appre- 
hension of  the  simple;  and  hence,  that  its  expressions  are 
not  always  to  be  taken  in  their  most  literal  sense,  there  are 
few  who  will  not  admit.  Man  having  become  a  creature 
of  the  senses,  it  was  necessary  to  address  him  through  the 
medium  of  the  senses.  In  teaching  a  child,  we  are  obliged 
to  convey  ourinstructions  in  a  similar  manner.  We  may 
speak  to  the  child  of  the  sun  rising  and  setting;  nor  are 
we  thus  perverting  its  mind,  because  it  is  not  yet  able  to 
exercise  the  powers  of  reason.  But  if,  when  the  child 
becomes  a  man,  we  teach  its  reason  that  the  sun  moves 
round  the  earth;  and  if,  upon  this  principle,  we  build  a 
whole  system  of  natural  philosophy,  are  we  not  then  per- 
verting the  mind  of  our  pupil,  and  turning  an  innocent, 
useful,  and  even  necessary  mode  of  instruction,  into  a 
means  of  falsification  of  the  laws  of  nature  ?  In  the  same 
manner,  the  doctrine  of  Mediation  and  Intercession,  as 
commonly  understood,  is  regarded  by  Swedenborg  as  a 
perversion  of  the  truth.  Inasmuch,  however,  as  the  dark- 
ness occasioned  by  the  absence  of  true  light,  is  far  less  de- 
plorable than  that  which  is  occasioned  by  the  presence  of 
a  false  one,  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  acknowledgment  of 
ignorance,  in  regard  to  the  great  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
is  more  becoming  a  pious  and  humble  mind,  than  those 
bold  expositions  which  only  indicate  the  intrusion  of  the 
natural  man  behind  the  veil  of  the  temple,  or  his  attempt 
to  approach  Jehovah,  without  taking  his  shoes  from  off  his 
feet.  What,  then,  is  the  practical  idea  of  the  Lord's  In- 
tercession and  Mediation,  as  explained  by  Swedenborg? 
Let  us  hear  what  he  says: 

"They  who  believe  that  there  are  three  persons  who 
constitute  the  Divine  (being,)  and  are  together  called  one 
God,  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  derive  no 
other  idea  concerning  Mediation  and  Intercession,  than, 
that  the  Lord  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  His  Father,  and  dis- 
courses with  Him  as  man  with  man,  and  brings  the  suppli- 
cations of  men  to  the  Father,  and  entreats  that  for  His 
sake,  because  He  endured  the  cross  for  the  human  race, 


44  DOCTRINES. 

He  would  pardon  them,  and  be  merciful;  such  is  the  idea 
concerning  Intercession  and  Mediation,  which  the  simple 
derive  trom  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  But  it  is 
to  be  noted,  that  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  according  to  the 
apprehension  of  simple  men,  that  they  may  be  introduced 
into  interior  truths  themselves;  for  the  simple  cannot  form 
any  other  idea  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  than  as  of  an 
earthly  kingdom;  nor  any  other  idea  of  the  Father,  than 
as  of  a  king  on  earth;  and  of  the  Lord,  than  as  of  the  son 
of  a  king,  who  is  heir  of  the  kingdom.  That  the  simple 
have  such  an  idea,  is  very  manifest  from  the  idea  of  the 
Lord's  apostles  themselves  concerning  His  kingdom;  for 
at  first  they  believed,  like  the  rest  of  the  Jews,  that  the 
Lord,  as  being  the  Messiah,  would  be  the  greatest  king 
upon  earth,  and  would  raise  them  to  a  height  of  glory  above 
all  nations  and  people  on  the  universal  globe.  But  when 
they  heard  from  the  Lord  Himself,  that  His  kingdom  was 
not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven;  then  neither  could  they  think 
any  other  than  that  His  kingdom  in  heaven  was  to  be  alto- 
gether as  a  kingdom  on  earth;  wherefore  also  James  and 
John  asked,  that  in  His  kingdom  one  might  sit  on  the  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left;  and  the  rest  of  the  apos- 
tles, who  were  also  willing  to  become  great  in  that  king- 
dom, had  indignation,  and  disputed  among  themselves 
which  of  them  should  be  greatest  there;  and  whereas  such 
an  idea  was  inherent  in  them  and  could  not  be  extirpated, 
the  Lord  also  said  to  them  that  they  should  sit  on  twelve 
thrones,  to  judge  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel;  on  which 
occasion,  what  was  meant  of  the  Lord  by  twelve  thrones, 
by  twelve  tribes,  and  by  judgment,  they  knew  not.  From 
these  considerations  now,  it  may  be  manifest  what,  and 
whence,  is  the  common  idea  concerning  the  Lord's  media- 
tion and  intercession  with  the  Father.  But  he  who  knows 
the  interior  things  of  the  Word  hath  altogether  another 
notion  concerning  the  Lord's  mediation,  and  concerning 
his  intercession,  viz:  that  he  doth  not  intercede  as  a  son 
with  a  father,  a  king  on  earth,  but  as  the  Lord  of  the  uni- 
verse with  Himself,*  and  as  God  from  Himself;   for  the 


*  Tlie  Humanity  is  the  body,  the  Divinity  the  soul;  the  soul  assumes  the 
body,  in  order  that,  through  this  intermediation  or  intercession,  it  may  become 
visible  to  the  creature,  and  hold  communion  with  it,  just  as  the  soul  of  man  is 
enabled  to  hold  communion  with  its  fellow  creatures  on  earth,  through  the  me- 
diation or  intercession  of  the  body.  The  soul  and  the  body  are  not  two  per- 
sons, but  one;  in  like  manner  the  Humanity  is  not  a  separate  person  from  the 
Divinity,  still  it  is  the  Humanity  which  intercedes. 


DOCTRINES.  45 

Father  and  He  are  not  two,  but  are  one,  as  Himself 
teaches.  (John  xiv.  8 — 11.)  The  reason  why  he  is  called 
Mediator  and  Intercessor,  is,  because  by  the  Son  is  meant 
Divine  Truth,  and  by  the  Father  Divine  Good,  and  media- 
tion is  effected  by  Divine  Truth,  for  by  it  is  given  access 
to  Divine  Good:  for  Divine  Good  cannot  be  acceded  to 
(or  approached,)  because  it  is  as  the  fire  of  the  sun;  but 
Divine  Truth  can  be  acceded  to,  because  this  is  as  light 
thence  derived,  which  gives  passage  and  access  to  man's 
sight,  which  is  grounded  in  faith.  Hence  it  may  be  mani- 
fest, what  is  to  be  understood  by  Mediation  and  Interces- 
sion. It  may  be  expedient,  further,  to  say  from  what 
ground  it  is,  that  the  Lord  himself,  who  is  the  Divine  Good 
itself  and  the  sun  itself  of  heaven,  is  called  a  Mediator  and 
Intercessor  with  the  Father.  The  Lord,  when  He  was  in 
the  world,  before  that  He  was  fully  glorified,  was  Divine 
Truth;  wherefore  at  that  time  there  was  Mediation,  and 
He  interceded  with  the  Father,  that  is,  with  the  Divine 
Good  itself,  (John  xiv.  16,  IT;  xvii.  9,  15,  17;)  but  after 
that  He  was  glorified  as  to  the  Human  (principle,)  then  he 
is  called  Mediator  and  Intercessor  from  this  ground,  be- 
cause no  one  can  think  of  the  Divine  (being)  Himself, 
unless  he  forms  to  himself  the  idea  of  a  Divine  Man,  still 
less  can  any  one  be  conjoined  by  love  to  the  Divine  (being) 
Himself,  except  by  such  an  idea.  If  any  one,  without  the 
idea  of  a  Divine  Man,  thinks  of  the  Divine  (being)  Himself, 
he  thinks  indeterminately,  and  an  indeterminate  idea  is  no 
idea;  or  he  conceives  an  idea  of  the  Divine  (being)  from 
the  visible  universe,  without  an  end,  or  with  an  end  in 
v/hat  is  obscure,  which  idea  conjoins  itself  with  the  idea  of 
the  worshippers  of  nature;  it  also  falls  into  nature,  and 
thereby  becomes  no  idea.  Hence  it  is  evident,  that  there 
would  not  be  any  conjunction  with  the  Divine  (being)  by 
faith  nor  by  love.  All  conjunction  requires  an  object,  and 
the  conjunction  effected  is  according  to  the  quality  of  the 
object;  hence  it  is  that  the  Lord,  as  to  the  Divine  Human 
(principle,)  is  called  a  Mediator  and  Intercessor,  but  me- 
diates and  intercedes  with  Himself  That  the  Divine 
(principle)  Itself  cannot  be  apprehended  by  any  idea,  is 
manifest  from  the  Lord's  words  in  John:  'No  one  hath 
seen  God  at  any  time ;  the  Only  Begotten  Son,  who  is  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath  brought  Him  forth  to 
view,'  (i.  18;)  and  again,  'ye  have  neither  heard  the  voice 
of  the  Father  at  any  time,  nor  seen  his  appearance,'  (v.  37.) 
Nevertheless,   it  is  remarkable,   that  all  who  think  from 


46  DOCTRINES. 

themselves,  or  from  the  flesh,  concerning  God,  think  of 
Him  indeterminately,  that  is,  without  any  determinate  idea; 
whereas,  they  who  think  of  God  not  from  themselves,  nor 
from  the  flesh,  but  from  the  spirit,  think  of  Him  determi- 
nately,  that  is,  present  to  themselves  an  idea  of  the  Divine 
(being  or  principle)  under  a  human  appearance,"  &c. 
(Arcana  Coelestia,  B705.) 

Such  being  Swedenborg's  views  of  the  Trinity,  Atone- 
ment, Mediation,  and  Intercession,  we  now  proceed  to  a 
brief  notice  of  his  doctrine  of  Regeneration,  It  is  a  com- 
mon remark  by  some  divines,  that  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  manner  in  which  Jesus  Christ  effected  the  Atone- 
ment; that  we  are  as  little  concerned  with  the  manner  how 
Regeneration  is  effected;  that  all  that  we  are  required  to 
believe  is,  that  the  Atonement  is  effected,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit,  some  how  or  other,  does  regenerate  the  soul;  but 
that  both  the  Atonement  and  Regeneration  are,  in  them- 
selves, inscrutable  mysteries.  Now  it  is  certain,  that  the 
manner  how  a  thing  is  done,  is  often  the  most  important 
part  of  our  knowledge  relating  to  it,  more  especially  when 
we  are  called  upon  to  bear  our  part  in  the  work.  Suppose, 
then,  a  person  were  required  to  co-operate  in  the  work  of 
his  regeneration,  would  it  be  a  matter  of  no  importance  to 
him,  to  know  how  the  work  was  effJected.^  Certainly,  if  he 
had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  any  inquiry  upon  the  subject 
might  be  considered  to  originate  in  folly  and  presumption, 
since  it  could  not  serve  any  practical  purpose;  but  where 
we  lay  it  down  as  a  first  principle,  that  certain  doctrines, 
which  others  consider  we  have  no  concern  with,  except 
simply  to  believe,  are  vitally  connected  with  our  motives 
and  moral  conduct,  it  is  not  diflicult  to  see,  that  some  in- 
quiry into  the  nature  and  manner  how  of  the  divine  opera- 
tions, so  far  as  they  are  connected  with  these  doctrines,  is 
not  made  with  a  view  to  speculative  but  to  practical  pur- 
poses. In  such  a  case,  we  cannot  consider  those  who 
make  the  inquiry  as  the  speculators,  but  those  who  first 
have  deprived  the  doctrine  of  its  practical  tendencies;  who 
having  evaporated  it  into  a  mere  speculation,  complain  that 
all  who  employ  themselves  in  understanding  it,  are  wasting 
their  time  in  a  useless  pursuit.  What  can  be  a  more  com- 
plete admission  on  their  part,  that  the  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  they  receive  them,  have  little  or  no  intelligible 
reference  to  practice?  I  would,  however,  that  this  were 
all;  that  such  views  of  Christian  doctrine,  or  rather  such 
darkness  visible,  produced  no  ill  effect  upon  human  con- 


DOCTRINES.  47 

duct:  but,  alas!  I  fear  they  either  proportionably  give  rise 
to  fanaticism,  by  keeping  the  understanding  in  the  darkj 
and  appealing  only  to  the  feelings,  or  else  lead  a  man  to  a 
careless  unconcern  with  regard  to  truths,  into  which  he  is 
told  it  is  presumptuous  to  inquire,  which  he  cannot  under- 
stand, and  which,  even  if  he  could,  have  no  relation  to  his 
life  or  actions. 

In   contradistinction  to    such  views  we  would   observe, 
that  since  the  Atonement  wrought  by  Jesus  Christ  was,  as 
we  believe,  no  other  than  the  reconciliation  of  the  Human 
nature  to  the  Divine,   so  this  reconciliation  was  a  progres- 
sive work,  which  was   finally  completed  by  the  passion  of 
the  cross.     Jesus  Christ  is  our  great  archetype,  our  great 
exemplar,  whom  we  are  to  follow;  we  are,  therefore,  called 
upon  to  work,  in  ourselves,  the  same  kind  of  work  in  our 
human  nature,  which  He  wrought  in  His; — He  after  an 
infinite,  we  after  a  finite,  manner.     Hence  his  glorification 
is  the  exemplar,  as  well  as  the  efficient  cause  of  our  regen- 
eration: but  how  can  we  follow  him  in  the  performance  of 
the  work,  if  we  know  not  what  the  work  is,   nor  how  it  is 
to  be  done?     The  way  in  which   a  thing  is  done,    or  the 
mode  of  doing  it,  means  only  the  causes  employed  in  effect- 
ing it;  and  how  can  we  produce  the  effect,  unless  we  know 
how  to   make   use  of  the  causes   by  which  it  is   effected? 
Must   not   the   whole   process   be    involved    in    inscrutable 
mystery,  and  if  we  attempt  to  define  it,  must  not  the  defi^ 
nition  be  as  obscure  as  the  thing  defined?     Why  need  we 
wonder,  then,  that  some  divines  should  describe  regenera- 
tion partly  as  follows: — "a  new  principle  of  spiritual  life, 
consigned  over  to  the  soul  by  a  mysterious  operation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  we  can  neither  describe  in  words,  nor 
discern  by  its  eftects" — "a  pure  act  of  God's  special  grace^ 
immanent  in  himself,   and  terminating  in  man,  limited  and 
determined  to  a  particular  time,   and  incapable  of  latitude 
and  increase,  consisting  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin;  the  gift 
or  earnest,  or  covenanted  consignation,  of  the  influence  of 
the    Holy    Ghost,   considered  independently   of  its    moral 
operations  and  legitimate  effects,  and  a  title  to  eternal  life, 
depending  on  the  performance  of  certain  stipulated  condi- 
tions,"  &c.  &c.     The  fact  is,  that,  in  consequence  of  the 
introduction  of  erroneous  principles,  the  truth  of  which  is 
taken    for  granted,     the    whole    doctrine    of    Christianity 
appears  to  have  become  mystified,   and  its  power  propor- 
tionally paralyzed.     Men  cannot  be  stimulated  to  action  by 
that  of  which  they  have  no  idea.     It  may  try  the  faith  they 


48  DOCTRINES. 

possess,  but  will  never  impart  to  them  a  degree  which  they 
do  not  possess;  their  minds  never  can  be  enlightened  by 
unintelligible  mysteries.  It  must  be  obvious,  then,  that  the 
doctrine  of  Regeneration,  as  explained  by  Swedenborg,  is 
fundamentally  different  from  the  one  which  is  commonly 
received,  because  it  is  founded  on  the  process  of  the  glo- 
rification of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  or  that  by  which  His 
Humanity  became  Divine — a  doctrine  not  only  not  understood 
in  the  present  day,  but  denied;  the  consequence  is,  there 
is  scarcely  one  single  feature  common  to  the  two  views  of 
Regeneration.  The  nature  of  the  Lord's  Humanity  is  fre- 
quently considered  to  be  a  speculative  subject,  as  indeed 
it  well  may  be,  if  w^e  see  not  its  relation  to  Christian  prac- 
tice. But  when  we  inquire  into  the  process  by  which  this 
infirm  Humanity  was  glorified,  we  are  not  satisfied  with 
merely  making  the  inquiry,  and  regarding  the  result  as  a 
speculative  truth;  we  instantly  apply  it  to  the  practical 
purposes  of  regeneration — the  regeneration  of  our  whole 
being,  hence  of  all  our  conduct,  and  of  all  the  motives  and 
moral  sentiments  which  we  had  previously  imbibed  from 
the  theology  of  the  day.  The  common  idea  with  regard  to 
Regeneration,  is,  that  it  signifies  re-birth,  or  being  born 
again,  and  that,  as  a  man  can  be  naturally  born  but  once, 
so  he  can  be  spiritually  born  but  once;  the  consequence  is, 
that  Regeneration,  whether  supposed  to  take  place  at  bap- 
tism, or  in  subsequent  life,  is  consideied  to  be  a  simple  or 
single  act,  "incapable  of  latitude  or  increase."  This 
error  arises,  as  we  conceive,  like  all  others  in  theology, 
from  a  spiritual  truth  being  naturalized,  or  degraded  to  the 
level  of  the  merely  natural  mind.  For,  though  a  man  can 
be  born  but  once  naturally,  and  hence  also  naturally  can 
die  but  once;  yet,  because  the  body  can  die  but  once,  it 
does  not  hence  follow  that  the  soul  can  die  but  once.  The 
life  of  the  natural  body  is  but  of  one  nature,  which  never 
ascends  beyond  that  which  it  originally  was;  it  can  never 
be  elevated  out  of  itself  into  a  life  of  a  higher  order,  for 
animal  or  corporeal  life  is  but  one;  and  hence  the  body  is 
but  once  born,  comes  to  but  one  perfection,  and  dies  but 
one  death.  The  case  is  altogether  different  with  the 
life  of  the  spirit,  which,  while  we  are  living  in  this  world, 
may  be  elevated  out  of  its  plane  or  level,  into  another  that 
is  higher,  and  this  unceasingly.  Every  sinful  habit  to 
which  the  soul  dies  is  the  occasion  of  a  distinct  death;  and 
it  may  have  to  die  as  many  deaths  as  it  has  sins  unto  which 
it  must  die.     The  same  is  true  with  regard  to  the  evils  in- 


DOCTRINES.  49 

herited  by  birth  before  they  descend  into  ultimate  acts. 
As  every  evil  has  its  own  life  in  the  soul,  so  also,  in  being 
destroyed,  it  must  undergo  its  own  death;  hence  the  soul 
may  die  daily;  and  as  it  may  die  daily,  so,  in  a  correspond- 
ing sense,  it  may  be  said  to  be  born  daily;  hence,  as  there 
may  be  a  perpetual  death,  so  may  there  be  also  a  perpet- 
ual birth,  hence  a  perpetual  generation,  and  hence  a  per- 
petual regeneration.  This  state  of  generation  and  regen- 
eration is  the  eternal  spring  of  the  soul;  and  hence  we  see 
the  true  reason  for  which,  to  angelic  beings,  heaven  is  a 
season  of  perpetual  spring.  Besides,  it  is  to  be  remem- 
bered, that  we  cannot  but  affix  to  the  term  regeneration  a 
sense  more  enlarged  than  the  one  it  commonly  bears,  and 
which  appears  to  be  its  more  immediate  sense;  for,  prop- 
erly speaking,  it  does  not  signify  re-birth^  but  re-generation, 
re-begetting,  or  re-production.  Now,  as  all  the  processes 
of  growth  which  take  place  in  a  plant  or  animal,  may  be 
said  to  be  processes  of  generation,  in  the  more  enlarged 
sense  of  that  term,  so  every  progression  of  the  soul  in 
spiritual  life,  we  consider  to  be  a  process  of  generation; 
hence  spiritual  affections  and  thoughts  are  the  result  of 
spiritual  generation,  and  the  way  to  purify  or  exalt  their 
nature  is  by  a  perpetual  process  of  regeneration.  This  is 
no  merely  speculative  or  metaphysical  doctrine,  for  it  ne- 
cessarily originates  this  practical  truth,  that  evil  is  not  re- 
moved from  the  soul  in  an  instant,  as  filth  is  washed  from 
the  body;  evil  can  be  removed  only  by  a  death,  and  good 
can  be  received  only  by  its  being  generated  within  us; 
hence  there  is  no  such  thing  as  righteousness  being  imput- 
ed without  being  imparted,  and  the  popular  doctrine  of 
Justification  by  Faith,  is  one  which  we  consider  to  be  con- 
trary to  God's  Word,  and  contradictory  to  the  real  nature 
and  constitution  of  things.  Though  all  tradition  should 
maintain  that  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil 
might  be  considered  as  possessing  the  same  nature  with 
the  tree  of  life,  by  having  the  nature  of  the  latter  imputed 
without  being  imparted,  we  must  beg  leave  to  withhold  our 
assent;  and  i^  this  doctrine  of  Justification  by  Faith  be  the 
article  of  a  standing  or  falling  church,  we  can  make  no 
question  to  which  of  the  two  it  belongs.  If  imputation  be 
salvation,  there  is  not  a  fallen  spirit  but  might  enter  into 
heaven. 

Now,  if  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  be  practical,  if  they 
furnish  us  with  principles  of  action,  then  any  alteration  in 
these  doctrines  implies  a  corresponding  alteration  in  our 
5 


50  DOCTRINES. 

conduct,  motives,  and  moral  sentiments.  For  I  presume 
Your  Grace  will  not  admit,  that  the  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity have  no  relation  whatever  to  Christian  life,  and  that, 
consequently,  we  may  adopt  any  we  please,  without  their 
affecting  in  any  manner  our  spiritual  state;  yet  this  admis- 
sion the  reader  cannot  but  conclude  that  Your  Grace  must 
make,  if  it  be  insisted  on,  that,  in  receiving  the  system  of 
Swedenborg,  a  man  is  not  called  upon  to  alter  his  conduct, 
his  motives,  or  his  moral  sentiments.  This,  my  Lord,  will 
be  still  more  demonstrable  in  the  sequel,  whatever  be  the 
meaning  attached  in  the  Essays  to  the  term  system;  for 
certain  it  is,  that  Swedenborg 's  doctrines  form  as  peculiar 
a  feature  of  his  system,  as  his  revelations,  these  revelations 
being,  for  the  most  part,  a  further  development  of  his  doc- 
trines. To  enter  farther  into  the  nature  of  the  Christian 
doctrines  as  explained  by  Swedenborg,  would  be  to  fill  a 
volume;  as  however  we  have  now  very  briefly  adverted  to 
some  of  the  most  important,  I  must  leave  the  reader  to  con- 
clude with  regard  to  the  rest;  and  to  determine  whether, 
so  far  as  regards  the  principles  we  have  been  considering, 
they  are  the  same  with  those  of  what  is  called  the  Church 
catholic,  or  whether  it  be  not  true,  as  Swedenborg  says, 
''The  reason  why  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  cannot,  by 
any  means,  be  together  with  the  faith  of  the  former  or 
present  church,  is,  because  they  do  not  agree  together  in 
the  one  third,  no,  nor  even  in  the  one  tenth  part."  (Brief 
Exposition.     Section  24.) 

By  what  we  conceive  to  be  a  happy  inconsistency  in  the 
Christian  community,  we  are  enabled  with  pleasure  to 
point  out  sentiments  occasionally  prevailing  among  its 
numbers,  in  perfect  accordance  with  some  of  those  to  which 
we  have  been  adverting.  It  is  one  consolation  to  the 
Church  to  know,  that  the  hour  of  midnight  is  the  hour  in 
which  the  new  day  commences.  Hence  we  are  thankful 
to  behold  around  us  the  dawn  of  better  things;  and  though 
the  light  is  but  dim,  v.herever  we  behold  its  beams,  we 
rejoice  with  exceeding  great  joy. 

Before  concluding  this  part  of  the  subject,  \ve  may  ob- 
serve, that  there  is  a  class  of  divines  who  openly  deny  that 
the  practical  tendency  of  a  doctrine  (such  as  Your  Grace 
has  chosen  for  testing  the  truth  of  the  revelations  of  Swe- 
denborg, and  such  as  we  are  willing  to  abide  by,)  is  a  true 
or  proper  test  of  Christian  doctrine.  They  question  the 
safety  of  their  own  speculations,  upon  this  principle,  as 
well  they  might;    they    naturally  object,    that,  upon   this 


DOCTRINES-  51 

ground,  (and  I  quote  the  words  of  one  of  them,)  "those  doc- 
trines in  which  it  is  less  easy  to  discern  any  such  practical 
tendency  are  comparatively  disregarded,"  The  doctrine 
of  the  Tripersonality,*  for  instance,  is  one  of  those  in 
which  it  is  not  so  easy  to  discern  any  practical  tendency; 
hence,  upon  the  foregoing  principle,  it  must  be  compara- 
dvely  disregarded;  yet  it  is  generally  admitted  to  be  a  fun- 
damental doctrine.  Here,  then,  we  see  the  illustration  of 
what  was  stated  at  the  commencement,  that  at  least  certain 
of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  as  commonly  received,  are 
admitted  to  have  either  in  whole,  or  in  part,  no  intelligible 
reference  to  practice.  Here  we  see  that  not  Swedenborg, 
hut  his  opponents,  are  the  speculators,  they  themselves 
avowing,  that  many  of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  as 
they  interpret  them,  are,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  specu- 
lative; that  it  is  dangerous  to  their  views  to  be  tried  by  the 
test  imposed  in  Your  Grace's  Essays;  and  that  it  is  one  of 
our  errors  to  submit  to  it — a  test,  nevertheless,  by  which 
we  desire  to  abide,  and  by  which  many  of  our  opponents 
refuse  to  abide — being  aware  of  the  consequences.  Now 
the  error,  we  presume,  does  not  lie  with  those,  who,  find- 
ing it  to  be  no  easy  thing  to  discern  in  a  doctrine  its  prac- 
tical tendency,  are  inclined  to  attach  to  it,  in  relation  to 
themselves,  a  secondary  importance;  but  with  those,  who, 
in  their  original  conception  of  the  doctrine,  have  separated 
it  from  practice;  and  when  they  have  this  done,  and  found 
that  it  is  shorn  of  its  practical  tendency  and  reduced  to  a 
speculation,  resort  to  tradition  for  the  purpose  of  attaching 
to  it  an  extrinsic  value,  in  the  place  of  the  intrinsic  value 
of  which  they  have  deprived  it;  in  fine,  who,  as  we  con- 
scientiously believe,  having  undermined  the  temple,  seek  to 
prop  it  up  by  external  supports.  For  what  is  the  practical 
tendency  of  a  doctrine  ?  Is  it  not  its  tendency  to  remove 
evil,  and  to  infuse  divine  love  and  wisdom  into  our  hearts? 
God  is  love,  and  to  deprive  truth  of  love  is  to  deprive  it  of 
that  which  makes  it  truth;  for  the  practical  nature  of  a 
truth  is  one  and  the  same  with  the  essence  of  a  truth  itself: 
good  is  use,   says   Swedenborg,   and  truth  is  the  form  of 

*  Any  non-practical  doctrine,  when  made  the  basis  of  a  system,  becomes 
relatively  to  that  system  practical,  because  it  is  upon  this  that  the  system  rests. 
Hence,  even  the  doctrine  of  the  tripersonality,  or  any  other  doctrine,  however 
non-practical,  becomes,  relatively  to  the  system  based  upon  it,  practical.  In  the 
same  manner,  there  is  no  hypothesis,  however  visional  y,  which  is  not  of  practi- 
cal importance  to  the  system  which  it  supports.  To  call,  however,  either  of 
these  practical,  in  the  sense  for  which  we  are  contending,  is  evidently  improper. 


52  I  i\  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  P 

good.  A  speculation,  though  true,  is  not  a  truth,  in  the 
Scripture  sense  of  the  term.  Truth  is  living;  it  is  the 
Lord  himself;  and  truth  in  us  is  not  faith  in  a  proposition, 
but  God's  image  in  the  soul.  Hence  I  would  humbly  sub- 
mit, that  the  church  is  no  more  a  church  for  handing  down 
to  posterity  certain  doctrines,  which  it  acknowledges  it 
does  not  understand,  and  which  it  receives  because  tradi- 
tion handed  them  down  to  it,  and  they  are  supposed  to  be 
proved  by  Scripture,  than  a  man  is  a  Christian  for  handing 
down  to  posterity  a  Bible  which  his  forefathers  handed 
down  to  him.  The  way  for  a  church  to  hand  down  truths 
to  posterity  is,  not  merely  by  transmitting  them  as  specu- 
lations received  from  tradition,  or  even  proved  by  Scrip- 
ture, but  by  implanting  them  in  the  wills  and  understand- 
ings of  its  members,  thus  realizing  God's  image  within 
them,  and  leaving  their  children  to  inherit  a  nature  less 
prone  to  evil  and  averse  to  Divine  goodness.  The  church 
was  not  designed  to  be  a  mere  garner  in  which  the  corn  is 
to  be  treasured  up,  but  a  field  into  which  it  is  to  be  sown. 
The  corn  should  be  in  the  earth,  not  locked  up  in  the  gar- 
ner. Our  duty  is  not  to  stand  at  the  door  and  keep  the 
key,  but  to  be  out  in  the  field,  cultivating  the  seed;  for 
truth  is  like  seed;  and  what  is  the  practical  tendency  of 
seed?  Is  it  not  to  grow?  Is  it  not  to  develop  its  powers 
of  life?  To  increase  itself,  and  to  bring  forth  sixty  or  a 
hundred  fold?  If  this  be  the  case,  then  are  speculative 
doctrines  but  the  tares  of  the  church,  which  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  genuine  corn  without  the  reality.  It  is  true 
they  originally  sprang  from  genuine  seed,  but  it  is  con- 
fessed they  bring  forth  nothing.  In  receiving  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  Christianity  as  subjective  truths,  we  do 
not  reject  any  that  are  merely  objective,  because  we  do 
not  acknowledge  any  such  to  exist;  they  are  objective  only 
in  proportion  as  they  are  not  received  into  our  life;  hence, 
whatever  relation  they  may  have  to  other  beings _,  they  have 
also  a  direct  relation  to  man,  so  that  we  cannot  disregard 
any  in  consequence  of  admitting  they  have  little  or  no 
practical  relation  to  us.  The  supposed  speculative  char- 
acter of  a  Christian  doctrine,  does  not  arise  from  the  genu- 
ine truth'  of  the  doctrine  itself,  but  from  the  speculative 
manner  of  viewing  it.  The  speculativeness  is  not  in  the 
doctrine,  but  in  the  church;  not  in  the  Word  of  God,  but 
in  the  mind  of  the  reader.  There  is  a  great  difference  be- 
tween that  view  of  a  doctrine  which  we  admit  to  be  practi- 
cal, but  relatively  speculative  only  because  we  have  not 


THEWORDOFGOD.  63 

yet  practised  it,  and  a  doctrine  which,  in  our  original  con- 
ceptions of  its  nature,  we  have  deprived  of  all  practical 
relations,  and,  for  this  reason,  pronounced  to  be  speculative. 
Upon  the  former  principle,  not  upon  the  latter,  we  may- 
admit  much  of  what  Svvedenborg  has  stated  in  his  revela- 
tions to  appear  to  be  relatively  speculative,  and  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  illustrate  this  truth  in  the  course  of  our 
remarks, 

I  now  come  to  the  other  part  of  our  subject,  and,  indeed, 
to  the  principal  object  of  this  letter;  I  mean  the  alleged 
revelations  of  Swedenborg,  of  which  it  is  affirmed,  that 
they  are  of  a  non-practical  character. 

Your  Grace  observes,  that  Svvedenborg  "professed  to 
have  been  favored  with  most  copious  and  distinct  revela- 
tions, to  have  visited  the  celestial  abodes,  and  to  have  con- 
versed with  various  orders  of  beings,  of  all  of  which  he 
gives  minute  descriptions.  Yet,  though  his  followers  insist 
much  on  the  importance  of  believing  in  this  pretended 
revelation,  it  would,  I  believe,  be  difficult  for  them  to  state 
even  any  one  point  in  which  a  man  is  called  upon  to  alter, 
either  his  conduct,  his  motives,  or  his  moral  sentiments,  in 
consequence  of  such  belief.  The  system  furnishes  abun- 
dant matter  of  faith,  and  food  for  curiosity;  but  has  little 
or  no  intelligible  reference  to  practice."  An  ordinary 
reader  of  the  Essays  might  naturally,  from  this  statement, 
be  disposed  to  presume,  that  the  revelations  alleged  to  be 
made  to  Swedenborg  were  principally  concerning  the 
celestial  abodes,  and  the  various  orders  of  spiritual  beings; 
that,  as  such,  whatever  relation  they  might  have  to  the 
other  world,  they  have  no  relation  to  this.  Now  the  prin- 
cipal revelation  alleged  to  be  made  to  Swedenborg,  is  that 
of  The  Internal  Sense  of  the  Holy  Word — a  revela- 
tion all  mention  of  which  the  Essays  have  omitted,  and 
which  may  be  considered  quite  independently  of  those  to 
which  they  allude;  for  even  though  Swedenborg 's  alleged 
intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world  were  considered  only 
as  the  day-dream  of  an  enthusiast,  yet  this  need  not  affect 
the  trutii  of  the  revelation  of  the  Internal  Sense  of  the 
Holy  Word  as  unfolded  by  him,  the  evidence  of  which 
stands  upon  its  own  basis.  So  far,  indeed,  is  this  the  case, 
that  some  have  fully  believed  in  the  reality  of  Sweden- 
borg's  intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world,  who  yet  do  not 
comprehend  his  explanations  of  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Word  of  God;  while  others,  who  delight  in  his  doctrines, 
confess  the  difficulty  they  fuid  in  receiving  all  his  visions. 


54  INTER  NALSENSEOF 

As,  however,  in  the  words  of  your  Grace,  ^'both  reason 
and  experience  shew,  that  it  is  the  obvious  policy  of  an 
impostor,  and  the  most  natural  delusion  of  a  visionary,  to 
treat  much  of  curious  and  hidden  matters  relative  to  the 
divine  operations,  beyond  what  is  conducive  to  practical 
instruction,"  "and  to  be  much  occupied  in  ministering  to 
speculative  curiosity;"  as  the  Essays  observe,  that  the 
system  of  Swedenborg  affords  food  for  this  curiosity;  that 
we  ought  to  consider  "whether  the  case  is  likely  to  be  the 
same  with  a  real  revelation,"  and  that  "such  an  inquiry 
will  be  profitable  and  satisfactory,  if  fully  pursued;"  per- 
mit me  to  state  the  results  of  an  inquiry  made  upon  the 
principles  recommended  by  Your  Grace, — an  inquiry  which 
I  have  found  both  profitable  and  satisfactory;  and  which 
has  terminated  in  the  conviction,  that  the  Internal  Sense 
of  the  Word  of  God,  as  alleged  to  be  revealed  to  Sweden- 
borg, does  not  appeal  to  a  blind  credulity,  is  not  specula- 
tive, does  not  minister  to  curiosity,  but  has  a  direct  intelli- 
gible relation  to  our  life  and  conduct,  and  is  of  the  highest 
practical  importance. 

On  entering,  however,  upon  the  arguments  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  find  myself  anticipated  by  certain  objections;  objec- 
tions in  limine,  against  all  further  revelations  whatever 
from  the  Almighty,  whether  through  Swedenborg  or  any 
other  human  medium.  If  these  objections  be  well  founded, 
it  is  of  no  use  to  enter  upon  any  inquiry  into  the  particular 
revelations  alleged  to  have  been  made  to  Swedenborg;  I 
am,  therefore,  under  the  necessity  of  first  answering  such 
of  the  objections  as  seem  more  particularly  to  bear  against 
any  further  revelation  of  the  Internal  Sense  of  the  Word 
of  God;  and  the  remaining  ones,  which  more  particularly 
bear  against  any  further  knowledge  with  regard  to  the 
spiritual  world,  I  shall  reserve  as  a  subject  for  separate 
consideration. 

With  regard  to  objections  in  limine  against  all  further 
revelations  whatever  from  the  Almighty,  it  may  first  be 
remarked,  that  they  are  not  unusual,  and  are  frequently 
accompanied  with  feelings  so  strong,  as  either  to  prevent 
any  inquiry  upon  the  subject,  or  to  predispose  the  mind, 
while  professedly  making  the  inquiry,  against  all  the  evi- 
dence adduced.  When  to  this  state  are  added,  the  dislike 
of  any  thing  in  the  shape  of  innovation,  the  satisfaction 
which  some  persons  find  in  religious  knowledge  as  it  is, 
and  their  instinctive  recoil  from  what  does  not  harmonize 
with  their  views,  they  come  to  the  present  argument  with 


THEWORDOFGOD.  56 

all  their  mental  powers  and  faculties  committed  to  the 
keeping  of  the  strong  man  armed;  being  willing  to  believe 
nothing,  except  as  he  may  happen  to  allow  them  to  believe. 
These  often  receive  the  doctrine  of  no  further  revelations 
with  gladness;  because  they  are  thus  rid  of  a  very  trouble- 
some thought,  and  their  old  habits  and  opinions  are  left 
undisturbed.  When,  therefore,  they  pray  that  they  may 
be  led  into  all  truth,  they  mean  only  such  truth  as  may  be 
in  conformity  with  their  preconceived  views;  since  nothing 
else  will  they  allow  to  be  truth.  Hence,  their  supplica- 
tions to  the  Almighty  for  Divine  illumination,  amount  to 
nothing  more  than  asking  Him  to  confirm  them  in  their 
own  opinions.  To  such  persons  it  would  be  needless  to  ad- 
dress myself  I  shall,  therefore,  speak  only  to  those,  who, 
notwithstanding  their  opposition  to  the  principles  of  Swe- 
denborg,  are  not  unwilling  to  make  further  inquiry  into  the 
subject;  to  listen  with  an  impartial  mind  to  the  evidence 
adduced;  and  to  consider  it  possible,  that,  however  right 
they  may  be  in  some  things,  they  may  be  wrong  in  others; 
and  this,  too,  on  points  v/here  they  least  suspect  it. 

I  proceed,  then,  to  the  consideration  of  certain  popular 
objections,  many  of  which,  it  appears  that,  in  various  parts 
of  your  writings,  even  Your  Grace  has  not  considered  un- 
worthy of  your  sanction.  First,  That  we  have  light  enough 
already,  and  do  not  need  more.  Secondly,  That  God  never 
designed  to  make  us  prophets.  Thirdly,  That  we  ought 
not  to  be  wise  above  that  which  is  written.  Fourthly, 
That  man  has  no  faculties  adequate  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  higher  divine  mysteries.  Fifthly,  That  inquiry  into 
them  proceeds  from  a  love  of  novelty.  Sixthly,  That  there 
maybe  new  discoveries  in  science,  but  not  in  religion. 

First,  it  is  objected,  that  we  have  light  enough  already, 
and  do  not  need  more. 

Is  not  this  the  same  with  asserting,  that  we  are  good 
enough  already,  and  do  not  need  to  be  better?  For  good- 
ness and  truth  are  inseparably  united;  we  cannot  possess 
one  without  possessing  the  other.  Divine  goodness  can- 
not consist  with  a  state  of  spiritual  darkness;  and  it  would 
be  difficult  to  discover  how  the  Christian  can  be  too  much 
enlightened.  Assuredly,  when  he  experiences  Divine 
light  in  his  soul,  he  loves  it  so  much  that  he  prays  for 
more,  knowing,  in  the  language  of  the  Psalmist,  that,  "in 
thy  light  we  see  light."  If  a  man  says  he  has  light  enough 
already,  how  can  he  think  of  praying  for  more  ?  The  force 
of  the  objection,   however,  would   seem  to  lie  only  in  its 


56  INTERNAL    SENSE    OF 

ambiguity.  For,  if  by  light  be  meant  mere  head  knowl- 
edge, or  the  mere  science  of  religion,  then,  undoubtedly, 
of  this  we  may  already  have  enough;  nay,  we  may  possess 
too  much;  and  further,  still,  it  might  have  been  better  for 
us  if  we  never  had  any  at  all.  If  we  possess  any  knowl- 
edge of  religion,  however  practical,  which  nevertheless  we 
do  not  mean  to  practise,  we  have  not  only  light  enough, 
but  too  much;  if  we  possess  any  knowledge  of  religion 
which  we  do  not  practise,  but  try  to  do  so,  we  may  have 
sufficient  knowledge  for  the  present,  but  not  for  the  future; 
for  as  our  practice  may  be  always  improving,  so  the  time 
may  come  Avhen  further  knowledge  may  be  desirable.  Can 
any  true  Christian  say,  that  at  any  period  he  possesses  too 
much  knowledge  of  himself.^  That  the  light  whereby  he  is 
enabled  to  discover  the  evils  of  his  nature,  and  the  purity 
and  holiness  of  God,  he  already  possesses  to  a  greater  de- 
gree than  is  needful.^  Or,  that  he  has  already  so  much, 
that,  in  this  life,  he  will  never  need  more.'*  If  this  be  the 
case,  what  further  proof  can  be  given  that  he  is  in  total 
darkness,  and  that,  instead  of  having  light  enough,  he  has 
none  whatever.''  Remove,  then,  the  ambiguity  of  the  ex- 
pression, and  the  objection  is  removed.  That  we  may  have 
more  light  than  we  use,  may  be  true.  That  we  may  desire 
no  more,  may  also  be  true.  This  may  be  said  of  the  world 
in  its  darkest  and  corriiptest  state;  yet,  so  far  from  its  being 
a  reason  why  God  should  not  send  further  light,  it  may  be 
the  very  reason  why  he  should;  for  if  he  did  not,  even  that 
we  possess  might  be  extinguished.  The  Jews  had  cer- 
tainly more  light  than  they  used;  yet  this  did  not  prevent 
our  Savior  from  coming  among  them,  and  ditfusing  a  still 
further  degree.  "The  light  shined  in  darkness,  and  the 
darkness  comprehended  it  not."  The  contentment  of  the 
world  in  general  with  the  degree  of  light  they  possess,  is 
never  any  argument  with  Divine  Providence  for  withhold- 
ing his  light  from  the  few  who  want  more.  The  invalidity 
of  the  objection  is  the  more  evident,  when  we  consider  that 
the  internal  sense  of  the  Holy  Word,  as  explained  by  Swe- 
denborg,  is  alleged  to  be,  not  the  light  of  mere  science  or 
abstract  knowledge;  but  one  which  reveals  the  mystery  of 
the  human  heart,  and  of  the  holiness  of  the  Divine  nature, 
in  direct  relation  to  the  present  state  of  the  church.  To 
affirm  otherwise,  is,  for  the  present  at  least,  to  beg  the 
question.  Nay,  to  assume  that  we  have  already  light 
enough  for  all  practical  purposes,  is  to  beg  the  question; 


THEWORDOFGOD.  67 

for  the  ground  of  the  revelations  alleged  to  be  made  to 
Swedenborg  is,  that  we  have  not  sufficient  light;  that  God 
has  come  and  removed  the  candlestick  of  the  church  out  of 
its  place;  she  having  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for 
darkness.  That  a  church  may  possess  a  degree  of  light 
adequate  to  the  practice  she  requires  of  her  members,  may 
be  true;  but  the  question  is,  whether  the  standard  of  prac- 
tice with  which  she  is  content,  be  itself  adequate  to  that 
which  is  required  of  her.  We  shall  see  that  it  is  not;  that 
light  enough  she  may  have  for  all  her  practical  purposes, 
but  not  for  those  of  her  Lord  and  Master. 

It  is  objected,  secondly,  that  God  never  designed  to 
make  us  prophets,  and  that  it  is  time  enough  for  us  to  have 
a  knowledge  of  events,  after  they  are  fulfilled. 

But  is  not  this  as  much  as  to  say,  that  if  a  man  warned 
us  beforehand  of  our  house  being  robbed,  it  would  be 
early  enough  for  us  to  notice  the  warning  after  the  rob- 
bery had  been  effected  ?  For  our  Lord  declares,  that  he 
will  "come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,"  "and  at  such  an  hour 
as  we  look  not  for  him."  Suppose  any  one  should  warn 
us  of  the  coming  of  a  flood,  which,  unless  we  escaped, 
would  inevitably  destroy  us;  should  we  act  as  reasonable 
creatures,  if  we  answered,  that  it  was  time  enough  to  obey 
the  warning  after  the  event  was  fulfilled?  For  our  Lord 
affirms,  that  "as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  so  shall  it  be 
also  at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man," — "they  knew  not 
until  the  flood  came  and  swept  them  all  away."  God, 
certainly,  never  designed  to  make  us  prophets,  that  we 
might  be  enabled  to  foretel  future  historical  events;  nor 
are  the  prophecies,  recorded  in  Scripture,  interpreted  by 
Swedenborg  as  relating  to  this  subject,  but  only  to  the 
spiritual  state  of  the  church,  consequently,  to  the  spiritual 
state  of  every  individual  of  the  church.  The  subject  of 
the  prophecies,  therefore,  is  as  practical  to  every  member 
of  the  church,  as  the  nature  of  his  own  spiritual  state;  and, 
if  he  is  warned  beforehand  of  certain  errors  and  evils  into 
which,  without  Divine  illumination,  he  will  assuredly  fall, 
by  reason  of  the  darkness  of  the  age,  what  subject  can  be 
more  practical  to  him,  than  the  one  which  treats  of  his  dan- 
ger? He  is  not  called  upon  to  foretel  the  future,  but  to 
understand  the  present;  to  give  the  interpretation  of  the 
handwriting  which  is  upon  the  wall.  Besides,  if  it  be  time 
enough  to  know  the  meaning  of  prophecy  after  the  events 
to  which   it  relates   are   fulfilled,  what  if  they  are   already 


58  INTER  NALSENSEOF 

fulfilled!*  What  if  they  have  already  given  to  prophecy 
its  interpretation!  What  if  we  are  blind  both  to  the  event 
and  the  interpretation!  Many  seem  to  imagine,  that  events 
have  only  to  be  fulfilled,  in  order  for  us  to  recognise  them; 
and  certainly,  where  these  events  are  only  outward  or  po- 
litical changes,  such  may  be  the  fact,  (although  even  in 
this  case,  it  is  not  necessarily  so;)  but  where  they  are  the 
same  with  inward,  moral,  or  spiritual  states,  great  is  the 
mistake  to  suppose,  that  we  must  be  necessarily  aware  of 
them.  The  character  of  an  age  may  be  as  much  hid  from 
that  age,  as  the  character  of  an  individual  from  himself. 
GcMcrally  speaking,  the  most  unfavorable  period  for  ascer- 
taining it  is,  that  of  the  very  age  itself;  for  the  mind  has 
been  so  educated  and  constituted  in  agreement  with  its 
peculiarities,  that  it  is  not  able  to  discern  them;  nor,  per- 
haps, are  they  ever  seen,  until  after  the  age  has  passed 
away,  and  all  the  evils  have  been  suffered,  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  averted.  If  this  be  the  case  with 
regard  to  external  political  events,  how  much  more  is  it  the 
case  with  regard  to  inward  and  spiritual  states;  for  chan- 
ges in  the  political  world  are  comparatively  easily  discern- 
ible; the  spiritual  states  of  the  church  are  not  so  discerni- 
ble; they  are  more  veiled  over  by  lioly  external  appearan- 
ces, and  are  more  deeply  hidden  within  the  soul.  The 
longer  a  state  continues,  also,  the  less  is  its  nature  likely 
to  be  perceived;  and  if  it  be  one  of  error  and  evil,  nothing 
but  a  new  communication  of  light  to  those  who  are  willing 
to  receive  it,  can  enable  them  to  see  or  understand  it. 
After  all,  therefore,  it  is  possible  for  us  to  be  living  during 
a  state  of  the  church,  of  the  real  nature  of  which,  even  the 
wisest  of  its  members  may  be  in — profound  ignorance. 

But  I  proceed  to  a  third  objection,  which  is,  that  ''we 
ought  not  to  be  wise  above  that  which  is  written." 

Undoubtedly;  but  neither  ought  we  to  be  wise  beloiu  that 
which  is  written.  How  indifferent  are  some,  if  any  of  their 
fellow-creatures  are  ignorant  of  what  they  ought  to  know, 
if,  in  fine,  they  are  wise  far  below  what  is  written;  how 
alarmed,  should  any  appear  to  them  to  be  wise  above  what 
is  written.  Now  we  readily  grant,  that  to  be  wise  above 
what  is  written  is  a  great  evil;  but  the  question  is,  what 
that  is  which  is  written;   and  until  this  question  be  settled, 

*  Tlie  leadei-  is  here  refeired  to  a  work  entitled,  "A  View  of  tlie  Scripture 
Revelations  Concerning  a  Future  State,  by  a  Country  Pastor,"  particularly  to 
Lecture  vii,  where  this  argument  is  very  well  stated,  and  all  that  I  wish  is  here 
to  avail  myself  of  its  application. 


T  II  E    W  O  R  D     O  F    G  O  D  .  59 

it  will  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to  decide,  whether  any  given 
views  are  above  or  below  what  is  written.  There  are 
some,  however,  (and  I  am  happy  not  to  include  the  Author 
of  the  Essays,)  who  would  seem  to  settle  this  question  in 
a  summary  manner.  In  determining  what  is  written,  the 
rule  to  be  observed  is,  as  they  affirm,  that  we  are  to  adopt 
only  that  sense  of  Scripture  which  is  plain  and  obvious. 
This,  undoubtedly,  seems  a  plausible  mode;  and  yet  it  is 
one  which,  I  presume,  will  not  bear  examination.  For 
when  we  speak  of  the  plain  sense  of  the  Word  of  God,  it 
may  be  asked,  plain  to  whom.''  To  the  natural  man,  or  to 
the  spiritual.^  Even  in  regard  to  historical  facts,  Your 
Grace  has  well  shewn,  how  a  person,  in  the  present  day, 
may  be  mistaken  in  speaking  of  the  plain  sense  of  Scrip- 
ture; and  if  the  natural  man  may  be  mistaken  in  regard  to 
external  historical  facts, *=  how  much  more  is  he  liable  to 
mistake,  when  he  applies  the  test  of  plainness  to  internal 
spiritual  truths!  Assuredly,  if  we  adopt  that  sense  only 
which  is  plain  to  the  natural  man,  it  is  not  very  improbable 
that  we  may  adopt  the  wrong  one;  "for  the  natural  man 
perceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  for  they 
are  spiritually  discerned.  "|  If,  therefore,  in  determining 
the  sense  of  Scripture,  any  person,  whatever  be  his  abili- 
ties or  learning,  uses  only  his  natural  discernment,  and 
appeals  to  what  he  considers  the  plain  sense  of  the  Word 
of  God;  there  needs  no  stronger  proof,  that  the  sense  to 
which  he  appeals  is  not  the  primary  sense  designed  by  the 
Divine  Author;  and  yet,  on  this  appeal,  rests  the  whole  of 
the  argument  generally  urged  by  those,  who  speak  of  the 
plain  sense  and  meaning  of  Scripture.  To  the  natural 
man,  the  plainest  sense  is  the  merely  historical  or  moral 
sense:  the  less  spiritual  it  is,  the  plainer  it  is  to  him,  noth- 
ing being  to  him  less  plain  and  obvious  than  the  spiritual 
sense.  To  the  spiritual  man,  however,  the  spiritual  sense, 
to  the  extent  in  which  he  understands  it,  is  quite  as  plain 
as  to  the  natural  man  the  natural  sense.  The  question, 
therefore,  is,  what  is  the  state  of  mind  of  the  person  who 
makes  the  appeal  to  Scripture.^  If  it  be  a  merely  natural 
state,  the  plainer  to  him  be  the  sense  of  Scripture  to  which 

*  See  Sermon  ii.  Name  of  Emmamiel. 

t  Of  course,  the  whole  of  this  argument  is  intended  to  apply  only  to  tho:?e 
books  of  Scripture  in  which  we  maintain  there  is  an  inward  sense,  and  which, 
byway  of  distinction  from  the  other  books  in  Scripture,  we  expressly  denomi- 
nate—The Word  of  God. 


60  INTER NALSENSEOF 

he  appeals,  the  more  natural  it  is,  and  the  less  spiritual; 
consequently,  the  farther  removed  from  the  one  primarily 
designed,  that  is  to  say,  in  those  books  in  which  a  spiritual 
sense  exists.     What  was  plainer   to  the  Jews,   than  that, 
when  the  Messiah  was   spoken  of  as  one  whose  kingdom 
should  have   no  end,    a   temporal   monarchy  was  meant? 
And  why?     Because  they  had  no  idea  of  any  other.     The 
plainest  and  most  obvious  sense  of  Scripture,  in  these  pas- 
sages, was  to  them  its  most  natural  and   literal  sense;  the 
lower  it  was,  the  plainer  it  was.      If  a  man  says,  therefore, 
that  he  rejects  a  given  interpretation  of  the  Word  of  God, 
because  it  is  not  the  plain  one,  what  is  this,  but  making  the 
degree  of  his  discernment  the  standard  of  Divine  Wisdom? 
If  his  life  and  conduct  were  more  improved,   how  does  he 
know  but  his  spiritual  discernment  would  be  increased,  and 
that  things  would  be  plain  to  him  then,  v.hich  are  now  hid- 
den from  his  view?     When  Divine  Wisdom  is  represented 
in  the   Book   of  Proverbs,    as  speaking,  what  is   her  lan- 
guage?   "All  the  words  of  my  mouth  are  plain" — to  whom? 
— "to  him,"  it  is  added,  "that  understandeth."     If  a  man, 
therefore,  says  of  a  given  interpretation  of  Scripture,  that 
it  is  not  the  plain  one,  he  should  first  consider,  what  is  the 
degree  of  his   own  spiritual  discernment;   for  the  Word  of 
God,  as  to  its  spiritual  truths,  does  not  profess  to  be  plainly 
intelligible,  except  to  those  who  can  understand,  any  more 
than  objects   are   designed,    in    the   natural   world,   to   be 
plainly    visible,    except  to    those   who    can  see.     Now  in 
Scripture  it  is  a  first  principle,  that  the  state  of  our  spiritual 
understanding  depends  upon  the  state  of  the  heart;  there- 
fore, in  Daniel  it  is  said,    "none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand, but  the  wise  shall  understand."     To  consider,  there- 
fore, the   degree  of  plainness  with  which  a  passage  in  the 
Word  of  God  may  present  itself  to  us,  as  a  test  of  the  only 
nature   and  extent  of  its  meaning,   is  much  the  same  as  if 
the   person  who   saw  men   as  trees  walking,    should   insist 
upon  this  as  the  real  fact,    because  it  was  the   one  which 
was  the  most  obvious  to  his  eyes  in  the  state  in  which  they 
then  were. 

A  fourth  objection  is,  that  man  has  no  faculties  adequate 
to  a  better  knowledge  of  Divine  mysteries. 

It  is  much  to  be  feared,  that,  in  too  many  instances,  this 
is  the  case.  The  mind  has  become  so  wedded  to  merely 
natural  things,  and  the  reason,  consequently,  so  darkened, 
that  the  faculty  of  understanding  spiritual  things  has  be- 
come almost  extinct.     May  not  such  an  objection,  however, 


THEWORDOFGOD.  61 

instead  of  being  an  argument  against  a  revelation  of  these 
mysteries,  be  a  strong  argument  in  its  favor?  May  it  not 
shew  the  necessity  of  some  interposition  on  the  part  of 
Providence,  without  which,  the  only  faculties  which  entitled 
man  to  the  name  of  a  human  being,  would  be  on  the  verge 
of  being  finally  lost — nay,  are  supposed  by  some  to  be 
actually  extinct.  Alas!  what  is  it  that  makes  Divine  truths 
such  profound  inscrutable  mysteries?  Is  it  that  they  were 
not  intended  for  man  while  on  this  side  of  the  grave? — or, 
that  he  has  buried  the  higher  powers  of  his  soul  in  a  seliish 
and  sensual  nature,  which  averts  itself  from  spiritual  things, 
and  is  incompetent  to  understand  them?  Ought  we  not,  at 
least,  to  inquire  how  far  this  may  be  the  case?  How  far 
the  mysteriousness  of  Christian  doctrine,  which  persons 
often  allude  to,  originates  from  the  infinitude  of  Divine 
truth,  and  how  far,  from  the  carnal  state  of  our  own  minds? 
Ought  we  not  to  ask,  whether  the  darkness  be  only  in  the 
object,  or  also  in  the  eye  that  looks  at  it? — whether  the 
darkness  be  that  of  night  to  an  eye  that  is  open,  or  that  of 
day  to  an  eye  that  is  closed? — Is  not  light  itself  as  dark- 
ness, when  we  are  blind  ?  Have  we  not  yet  learnt  that 
man  has  spiritual  faculties  as  well  as  natural?  Yea,  that 
natural  faculties  were  given  him,  in  order  that  he  might 
become  spiritual? 

But  it  is  said,  finite  faculties  can  never  comprehend  what 
is  infinite.  And  can  they  ever  comprehend  what  is  finite.^ 
Can  the  finite  comprehend  the  finite  any  more  than  it  can 
comprehend  The  Infinite?  Can  it  rightly  understand  the 
finite  at  all,  except  in  proportion  as  it  beholds  in  it  The  In- 
finite? Surely,  as  in  regard  to  the  comprehension  of  The 
Infinite,  the  highest  and  the  lowest  faculties  arc  upon  a 
level;  so,  in  regard  to  the  comprehension  of  the  finite,  the 
case  is  the  same;  for  to  comprehend  the  finite,  is,  in  fact, 
to  comprehend  The  Infinite.  But  because  we  cannot  com- 
prehend the  finite,  is  that  any  reason  why  we  should  cease 
to  advance  in  our  knowledge  respecting  it?  And  because 
we  cannot  comprehend  The  Infinite,  must  we,  therefore, 
cease  to  advance  in  our  knowledge  of  God  ?  Or,  if  we  do 
not,  must  we  be  considered,  when  attempting  to  know 
Him,  as  attempting  to  comprehend  Him?  The  angels  are 
finite  as  well  as  we;  and  in  relation  to  The  Infinite,  stand 
upon  the  same  ground  as  we  do,  having  no  more  faculty 
than  ourselves  of  perfect  comprehension.  The  highest 
angel,  perhaps,  never  could  possess  a  wisdom  adequate  to 
that  displayed  in  the  creation  of  the  smallest  leaflet.  Wc 
6 


62  INTERN  A  LSENSEOF 

never,  perhaps,  can  fully  comprehend  ourselves;  but  Your 
Grace  will  admit,  that  all  these  are  no  just  reasons  for 
never  attempting  to  know  the  state  of  our  hearts,  the  laws 
of  the  phenomena  of  nature,  or  the  perfections  of  the  Deity. 
And  if  these  are  no  sufficient  reasons,  where  are  we  to 
stop? — who  is  to  draw  the  boundary  line?  May  it  not  be 
affirmed,  that  the  principal  thing  which,  in  spiritual  mat- 
ters, limits  the  understanding,  is  the  state  of  the  heart?  I 
say,  the  principal  thing;  because,  undoubtedly,  the  very 
condition  of  our  being  is  itself  somewhere  a  limit.  But  let 
us  not  confound  this  condition,  imposed  by  Providence, 
■with  that  which  we  have  imposed  upon  ourselves.  It  is 
time  enough  to  consider  the  limit  imposed  by  Providence, 
•when  we  have  arrived  at  it.  Besides,  to  place  a  limit  to 
the  spiritual  sight,  is  to  place  a  limit  to  the  spiritual  life. 
To  say,  "hitherto  shalt  thou  see,  and  no  further,"  is  to 
say,  "hitherto  shalt  thou  be  holy,  and  no  further;"  for  as 
the  truth  cannot  be  in  us  without  goodness,  so  we  cannot 
have  genuine  goodness  without  truth.  In  the  Divine  order 
of  things  the  tv.o  cannot  be  separated.  To  place  a  limit, 
therefore,  to  our  advance  in  truth,  is  to  place  a  limit  to  our 
advance  in  goodness.  How  darkly  do  many  reason  upon 
this  subject,  speaking  of  the  spiritual  faculties  as  they  do 
of  the  natural! — of  ability  to  comprehend  spiritual  things  as 
they  do  of  natural  talent  and  genius! — not  recollecting  that, 
as  natural  talent  is  given  them  by  natural  birth,  so  spiritual 
talent  can  be  given  them  only  by  spiritual  birth;  and  that 
it  is  only  in  proportion  as  a  man  is  regenerated,  that  he 
can  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  Mistaking,  as  they  do,  the 
merely  natural  faculties  for  the  spiritual;  and  then,  endeav- 
oring with  the  natural  to  comprehend  spiritual  things,  one 
attempt,  of  course,  fails  after  another;  their  labors  are  ail 
fruitless;  and  the  truth  at  which  they  are  aiming,  is,  con- 
sequently, declared  to  be  wholly  beyond  the  reach  of  man, 
never  designed  by  Providence  to  be  known,  written  only 
with  a  viev/  to  try  our  faith,  and  never  intended  to  be  other- 
wise than — inscrutable  mystery;  that,  hence,  it  is  the  part 
of  the  humble  mind  to  be  content  with  a  state  of  profound 
ignorance,  and  only  of  a  presumptuous  inquirer  to  seek  for 
more  Divine  light.  Undoubtedly,  they  are  right,  if  the 
person  seeks  for  Divine  knowledge  in  their  way,  or  upon 
their  principles.  But  in  coming  to  their  conclusion,  this  is 
the  point  they  assume.  Now,  we  reject  those  merely  nat- 
ural ideas,  which  they  would  carry  into  the  investigation 
of  Divine  truth.     We  know  that  a  spiritual  mind  only  can 


THEWORDOFGOD.  63 

have  a  saving  knowledge  of  spiritual  things,  and  this  is  the 
only  ground  upon  which  we  attempt  to  acquire  that  knowl- 
edge. Besides,  are  we  quite  sure  that  confessed  ignorance 
of  spiritual  things  is  always  a  sign  of  humility  ?  May  it 
not  be  the  sign  of  that  merely  natural  state  of  mind,  to 
which  we  have  been  adverting? — of  that  indocility  of  will, 
which  refuses  to  believe,  that  its  failure  in  the  search  of 
truth,  was,  in  the  slightest  degree,  owing  to  commencing 
the  inquiry  upon  wrong  principles? — or  that,  previous  to 
inquiry,  it  was  under  the  influence  of  error,  and  of  natural 
and  carnal  feelings?  May  it  not  be  the  sign  of  that 
humility  which  tacitly  says,  "If  I  cannot  find  out  the  truth 
upon  the  principles  I  now  hold,  I  will  not  attempt  to  find  it 
out  at  all:  it  shall  be  consistent  with  my  present  views,  or 
else  I  will  reject  it;  I  will  maintain  that  it  is  inscrutable 
mystery,  and  that  every  one  who  attempts  to  inquire  into 
it,  is  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  curiosity  or  presumption." 
Yet,  what  says  an*  eminent  philosopher  upon  this  subject? 
*'It  is  madness  and  a  contradiction,  to  expect  that  things, 
which  were  never  yet  performed,  should  be  effected^  except 
by  means  hitherto  untried." 

Upon  what  ground,  moreover,  does  any  person  maintain 
that  such  a  knowledge  would  be  speculative,  or  not  prac- 
tical? How  can  he  maintain  it  to  be  so,  if  he  begins  with 
declaring  the  whole  subject  to  be  a  mystery,  and  that,  as 
such,  he  knows  nothing  of  the  matter?  If  he  had  pretend- 
ed to  understand  the  mystery,  and  having  this  done,  clearly 
perceived  that  it  had  no  relation  to  practice,  he  would  be 
justified  in  affirming  such  a  knowledge  to  be  speculative, 
and  not  practical;  but  when  he  begins  with  declaring  him- 
self to  be  ignorant  of  the  subject,  why  should  he  proceed 
to  pronounce  upon  it  with  as  much  confidence  as  if  he  un- 
derstood it?  The  explanations  given  by  others,  he  may, 
indeed,  pronounce  to  be  speculative,  or  non-practical,  so 
far  as  he  understands  them;  particularly,  when  he  believes 
they  are  untrue;  but  has  he,  therefore,  a  right  to  assume, 
that  no  true  explanation  of  the  subject  can  be  practical? 
Or,  that  the  subject  is  one  with  which  we  are  not  con- 
cerned? 

To  pronounce  every  thing  in  religion,  with  which  we 
happen  to  be  unacquainted,  to  be  speculative  and  non- 
practical,  appears,  then,  to  be  a  premature  proceeding.  If 
the   subject  be  one   upon  which  we   confess  that  we  are 

*  Lord  Bacon,  Novum  Organura — Apotheghm,  vi. 


64  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  F 

entirely  in  the  dark,  how  can  we  come  to  any  other  coii- 
chisioa  than  that  of  Bishop  Butler;  who,  speaking  of  the 
economy  of  the  universe  and  the  course  of  nature,  of  which 
he  says  we  are  confessedly  ignorant,  Sec,  observes,*  "  JVhat 
would  be  the  consequence  ifive  could  reallij  get  an  insight  into 
these  things,  is  very  uncertain;  ivhelher  it  woidd  assist  us  «i, 
or,  divert  us  from,  ivhcd  ive  have  to  do  in  this  jjresejit  state. ""f 
This,  I  conceive,  then,  to  be  the  only  conclusion  to  which 
the  distinguished  Author  of  the  Essays  is  entitled  on  the 
present  occasion.  I  respectfully  submit,  that  he  is  not 
justified  in  assuming,  that  what  is  alleged  to  be  unknown  in 
religion,  or  unrevealed,  would,  if  known,  be  non-practical; 
and  then  proceed  to  hold  up  to  view  those,  who  believe 
these  mysteries  to  be  revealed,  as,  necessarily,  mere  specu- 
lators. All  that  he  is  entitled  to  is,  the  mere  doubt  and 
uncertainty  whether  such  a  knowledge  would  be  practical 
or  not.  He  has  assumed  that  it  would  be  non-practical, 
and  this  mere  assumption  vitiates,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  the 
whole  of  the  argument  which  is  founded  upon  it.  As  to 
the  positive  affirmation,  that  what  Swedenborg  has  written 
upon  the  subject  is  non-practical,  the  truth  of  this  will  be 
ascertained  in  the  sequel;  and,  again,  as  to  the  objection, 
that  had  the  subject  been  practical,  God  would  long  since 
have  revealed  it,  this,  it  will  be  seen,  is  reserved  for  a 
separate  reply. 

In  the  mean  time,  it  may  be  well  to  repeat  the  question, 
why  ignorance  alone  should  be  considered  as  consistent 
with  humility }  True  it  is,  that  this  present  world  is  but 
tJie  infancy  of  our  being;  that,  as  such,  know  what  we 
may,  we  are,  after  all,  but  children.  It  should,  however, 
be  considered,  that  the  very  design  of  Divine  knowledge  is 
more  and  more  to  make  us  children.  None  was  so  little  a 
child  as  Jesus  himself  Arrayed  in  all  the  majesty  of  his 
glory,  even  now  none  is  so  little  a  child  as  He:  no  seraph 
so  lowly,  yet  none  so  wise;  for  with  whatever  humility  the 
angels  may  bow  before  his  throne,  it  is  a  humility  which 
first  Cometh  from  that  throne  before  which  they  bow;  and 
if  in  this  world  the  smile  of  the  infant  be  that  which  most 
directly  reflects  the  Majesty  of  the  Most  High,  so  have 
always  the  wisest  and  the  best  men  been  most  truly  chil- 
dren; and  though  filled  with  the  light  of  the  glory  of  God, 
yet  always  have  they  most  confessed  their  ignorance. 
Their  knowledge  has  taught  them  to  see  that,  which,  with- 

*  Sennon  on  the  Ignorance  of  Man^  f  Ibid. 


THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  65 

out  their  knowledge,  they  could  not  see,  the  all-sufficiency 
of  the  Creator,  the  nothingness  of  the  creature;  none, 
therefore,  can  more  truly  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "Lord,  I 
am  not  high-minded:  I  have  no  proud  looks;  I  do  not 
exercise  myself  in  great  matters  which  are  too  high  for 
me;  but  I  refrain  my  soul  and  keep  it  low;  like  as  a  child 
that  is  weaned  from  his  mother;  yea,  my  soul  is  even  as  a 
weaned  child,"  (Psalm  cxxxi.)  Let  us  not,  then,  suppose, 
that  the  ignorance  confessed  by  wisdom,  is  the  same  with 
the  ignorance  of  the  infant  or  child  in  its  natural  state. 
"There  are  some,"  says  Swedenborg,  "who  imagine  gen- 
uine innocence  to  be  the  same  with  that  of  natural  infancy; 
by  reason  of  what  the  Lord  said  concerning  infants,  that 
'of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven;'  and  that  they,  who  do 
not  become  as  infants,  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  But  they  who  give  in  to  such  imagination,  are 
unacquainted  with  the  internal  sense  of  The  Word;  and, 
consequently,  with  what  is  meant  by  infancy.  By  infancy 
is  meant,  the  innocence  of  intelligence  and  wisdom;  which 
is  such,  that  they  who  possess  it  acknowledge  themselves 
to  have  life  from  the  Lord  alone,  and  that  the  Lord  is  their 
only  Father;  for  man  is  man  by  virtue  of  the  intelligence 
of  truth  and  the  wisdom  of  good,  which  he  hath  solely  from 
the  Lord.  Real  essential  innocence,  which  in  the  Word 
is  called  infancy,  hath  no  existence,  or  abode,  but  in  wis- 
dom; insomuch  that,  the  wiser  any  one  becomes,  so  much 
the  more  innocent  he  is:  wherefore,  the  Lord  is  essential 
innocence,  because  he  is  essential  wisdom,"  (Arc.  Coel. 
2r305.) — I  shall  only  add,  that  the  progress  from  natural  to 
spiritual  innocence,  as  unfolded  by  Swedenborg,  appears 
to  me  profoundly  interesting;  and,  as  I  believe,  of  the 
deepest  importance  to  those,  who  desire  to  walk  in  the  way 
which  leads  to  the  mind  of  Jesus. 

These  observations  enable  me  now  to  answer  an  objec- 
tion, which  is  stated  in  the  second  Essay,  p.  165.  Speak- 
ing of  the  revelation  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  it  is  observed, 
"Our  views,  indeed,  on  this  awful  subject  must,  after  all,  be 
indistinct,  confused,  and  imperfect;  but  if  they  are  better 
than  we  could  otherwise  have  attained,  and  are  the  utmost 
that  we  can  or  need  attain,  the  object  is  sufficiently  accom- 
plished." We  have  here  an  acknowledgment,  that  the 
principles  upon  which  the  Divine  Nature  is  generally  con- 
templated, lead  to  confused  and  indistinct  views;  and  we 
have  already  pointed  out  the  cause  of  this  effect.  So  long 
as  the  error  is  committed,  of  contemplating  the  Humanity 
6* 


66  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  X  S  E    O  F 

of  the  Lord  as  finite  and  creaturely,  and  hence,  of  contem- 
plating the  Divinity  out  of  the  Humanity,  or  the  Humanity 
out  of  the  Divinity,  it  is  impossihle  to  be  otherwise.  I 
grant  that,  if  this  obscurity,  indistinctness,  and  confusion, 
be  the  utmost  that  in  this  life  we  can  or  need  attain,  a 
better  knowledge  of  God  is  in  this  world  unnecessary;  and 
that  we  have  a  good  a  priori  argument  against  i'urther 
light.  This,  however,  is  a  point  which  the  Essays  assume; 
but  to  which  we  cannot  assent.*  It  is  added,  however, 
"and,  indeed,  if  any  one  had  char,  distinct,  and  complete 
views  of  the  Divine  Being,  this  would  alone  be  a  sufficient 
proof  to  me  that  they  were  incorrect  views."  Now,  if  by 
complete  be  meant  adequate,  it  is  readily  granted  that  we 
can  never  have  adequate  views  of  the  Deity;  inasmuch  as, 
what  is  finite  can  never  be  adequate  to  what  is  infinite. 
Nevertheless,  this  does  not  imply,  as  I  humbly  conceive, 
that  all  our  views  of  the  Deity  must  be  necessarily  obscure, 
confused,  and  indistinct.  An  idea  may,  I  presume,  be  very 
inadequate,  without  being  either  indistinct  or  confused. 
We  may  have  a  clear  and  distinct  idea  of  a  thing  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  beyond  which  the  idea  may  indeed  be  obscure 
and  confused.  The  point  up  to  which  we  may  have  clear 
ideas  of  Divine  Truth,  is  the  degree  of  goodness  at  which 
we  have  arrived,  and  beyond  which  cur  views  become 
obscure  and  indistinct.  Whether  in  regard  to  man  or 
angel,  the  rule  holds  equally  good,  that  "the  pure  in  heart 
only  shall  see  God."  Their  ideas  of  God  are  true,  clear, 
and  distinct^    according  to  the  degree  of  purity  to  which 

*  Authors  sometimes  speak,  not  only  of  the  impossibility  of  knowing  God  as 
he  is  in  liimself,  but  of  the  impossibility  of  knowing  the  human  mind,  or  any 
object  in  creation,  as  it  is  in  itself.  IN'ow  the  expression,  "as  it  is  in  itaclf," 
if  rightly  understood,  may  be  unobjectionable,  and  a  convenient  mode  of  speak- 
ing ;  but  still,  if  by  the  terms,  as  it  is  m  itself,  be  meant,  as  it  is  independently 
of  any  relation  to  any  thing  else,  Swedenhorg  shews,  that  there  is  no  such  thing 
created.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  irrelative  essence  or  substance,  or  any 
independent  being;  and,  therefore,  the  very  idea  of  contemplating  a  thing  as 
that  which  it  is  not,  ajjpears  to  be  inadmissible.  Every  thing  in  this  visible 
vorld  is  but  an  effect;  and  to  attempt  to  know  the  effect  as  it  is  in  itself,  or  in- 
dependently of  any  end  or  cause,  is  to  attempt  a  knowledge  of  that  which  is  not 
and  cannot  be,  nay,  Avhich  implies  a  contradiction.  To  speak,  therefore,  of  a 
thing  as  it  is  in  itself,  or,  independently  of  any  relations,  is  much  tlie  same 
thing,  as  to  speak  of  a  branch  as  it  is  in  itself,  or  a  leaf  as  it  is  in  itself,  the 
eye  or  the  heart,  as  it  is  in  itself;  for  it  is  a  first  principle  wiih  Swedenborg, 
that  everything  is  in  its  order;  and  order  implies  relation;  the  higher  we 
ascend  in  tracing  the  essences  of  things,  the  higher  is  the  order  of  relations  at 
vhich  we  arrive;  the  e.^sence  in  a  lower  degree  being  a  universal  in  relation  to 
the  particulars  below  it,  but  a  particular  in  relation  to  the  universal  above  it, 
or  to  the  essence  in  a  higher  degree.  This,  however,  cannot  be  uuderslood 
without  a  perusal  of  his  works. 


THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  67 

they  have  attained.  Nevertheless,  as  in  relation  to  the 
Divine  purity,  the  very  heavens  are  unclean  in  the  sight  of 
God,  so,  in  relation  to  the  Divine  glory,  the  light  of  the 
highest  angel  is  comparatively  darkness;  still,  we  should 
scarcely  be  justified  in  saying,  that  angelic  perceptions 
were  dark,  indistinct,  and  confused.  The  same  rule  holds 
in  regard  to  man,  although  it  is  capable  of  being  exempli- 
fied in  him  only  in  a  lower  degree.  There  is  a  point  up  to 
which  a  good  man  has  a  clear  idea  of  Divine  Truth,  and 
beyond  which  it  becomes  obscure;  a  greater  clearness  in 
his  perception  requiring  a  higher  degree  of  good  than  that 
to  which  he  has  yet  attained.  Nevertheless,  the  purer  be 
the  good  to  which  he  attains,  the  clearer  will  be  the  per- 
ception at  which  he  arrives.  This  is  true  with  regard  to 
his  condition,  both  in  this  v/orld  and  in  the  next.  Hence, 
Swedenborg  observes,  (Arcana  Coelestia,  3833,)  "During 
man's  initiation  into  truth,  and  thence  into  good,  all  that  he 
learns  at  this  time  is  obscure  to  him;  but  when  good  is 
conjoined  thereto,  and  he  thence  respects  truth,  in  this 
case,  all  is  clear  to  him;  and  this  successively  more  and 
more.  For  now  he  is  no  longer  in  doubt  whether  a  thing 
be,  or  whether  it  be  so;  but  he  knows  that  it  is,  and  that 
it  is  so.  When  man  is  in  this  state,  he  then  begins  to 
know  innumerable  things;  for  he  proceeds,  in  this  case, 
from  the  good  and  truth  which  he  believes  and  perceives, 
as  from  a  centre  to  the  circumferences;  and  in  proportion 
as  he  proceeds,  in  the  same  proportion  he  sees  the  things 
which  are  round  about;  and  successively  extends  his 
views,  by  a  continual  removal  and  dilatation  of  the  bounda- 
ries thereof.  Henceforth,  also,  he  commences  from  every 
object  in  the  space  within  those  boundaries;  and  hence,  as 
from  new  centres,  he  produces  new  circumferences,  and  so 
forth.  By  this  means,  the  light  of  truth  derived  from  good 
increases  immensely,  and  becomes  as  a  continuous  lucid 
principle;  for,  in  this  case,  he  is  in  the  light  of  heaven, 
which  is  from  the  Lord.  But  with  such  as  are  in  doubt 
and  in  disquisition  whether  a  thing  be,  and  whether  it  be 
so,  these  innumerable,  yea,  indefinite  things,  do  not  at  all 
appear.  All  and  singular  things  are  to  them  obscure,  and 
are  scarce  respected  as  one  principle  really  existing,  but 
rather  as  one  principle  whose  existence  is  doubtful.  In 
such  a  state  is  human  wisdom  and  intelligence  at  this  day; 
when  he  is  deemed  wise  who  can  reason  with  ingenuity 
whether  a  thing  exists;  and  he  is  deemed  still  wiser,  who 
can  reason  in  proof  of  its  non-existence.     As^  for  example; 


68  INTER  NALSENSEOF 

in  respect  to  this  question,  whether  there  exists  an  internal 
sense  of  the  Word  which  is  called  mystical;  until  this  is 
believed,  it  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  attain  the  least 
knowledge  of  those  innumerable  things  which  are  in  the 
Internal  Sense,  and  which  are  so  many  as  to  fill  the  Uni- 
versal Heaven  with  an  infinite  variety.  So,  also,  in  regard 
to  the  Divine  Providence;  he  who  reasons  concerning  it, 
whether  it  be  only  universal  and  not  extended  to  particular 
things,  cannot  possibly  become  acquainted  with  the  innu- 
merable arcana  respecting  Providence,  which  are  as  many 
in  number  as  the  contingencies  of  every  one's  life,  from 
first  to  last,  and  from  the  creation  of  the  world  to  its  end, 
yea,  to  eternity.  To  take  yet  another  example:  he  who 
reasons  whether  it  be  possible  for  any  one  to  be  principled 
in  good,  by  reason  that  the  will  of  man  is  radically  deprav- 
ed, cannot  possibly  know  all  the  arcana  relating  to  regen- 
eration, nor  even  that  a  new  will  is  implanted  by  the  Lord, 
together  with  the  arcana  of  such  implantation;  and  so  in 
all  other  cases.  Hence  it  may  be  clearly  seen,  in  what 
obscurity  such  persons  are,  and  that  they  do  not  even  see, 
much  less  touch,  the  first  threshhold  of  wisdom.-' 

The  fitlth  popular  objection  is,  that  our  reception  of  the 
revelations  of  Swedenborg,  proceeds  from  a  love  of  nov- 
elty. 

Your  Grace  observes,  that  even  the  early  converts  to 
Christianity  were  led  astray  by  a  spirit  of  innovation;  and 
that,  (Bampton  Lectures,  page  78,)  "the  danger  which 
they  withstood,  though  then  peculiarly  strong,  is  not  now, 
nor  ever  will  be,  removed,  while  human  nature  remains  the 
same.  Most  sedulously  are  we  still  bound  to  guard  against 
the  temptation  of  novelty,  when  we  consider  that  it  had 
power  to  seduce  even  the  hearers  of  the  apostles  them- 
selves. With  this  view,  we  must  constantly  bear  in  mind, 
that,  however  the  case  may  be  with  other  subjects,  in  reli- 
gion, whatever  appears  to  be  new,  if  it  relate  to  any  point 
of  considerable  importance,  carries  with  it,  so  far,  a  pre- 
sumption against  its  being  right." 

That  a  mere  love  of  novelty  is  to  be  deprecated,  there  is 
no  doubt,  and  more  particularly  in  our  search  after  Him 
who  is  "the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever."  In 
this  observation,  every  sincere  Christian  must  agree  with 
Your  Grace.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  as  many  love  a 
thing  only  because  it  is  new,  so  also  that  with  these  per- 
sons, as  soon  as  the  novelty  is  gone,  the  opinion  is  apt  to 
be  readily  parted  with.     I  am  not   aware,   however,   that 


THE     WORD     OF    GOD.  69 

this  is  the  case  with  those  who  receive  the  writings  of 
Svvedenborg;  but  have  good  reason  to  believe  the  contrary. 
The  quiet,  steady,  unwavering  state  of  mind  which  is  man- 
ifested by  those  who  have  been  principled  in  these  writings, 
is  a  fact  so  remarkable,  as  not  to  have  escaped  the  atten- 
tion of  many  of  our  opponents.  With  regard,  however,  to 
a  mere  love  of  novelty,  it  will  be  readily  granted  by  Your 
Grace,  that,  although  it  is  an  error,  it  is  not  the  only  error 
to  be  avoided;  inasmuch  as  we  are  also  called  upon  sedu- 
lously to  guard  against  a  mere  love  of  antiquity.  The  early 
Christians  could  not  so  fully  display  this  lailing,  because 
the  church  was  then  in  its  infancy;  the  principle,  there- 
fore, could  not  be  fully  developed  till  subsequent  ages, 
when  the  church  had  become  somewhat  older.  It  is,  how- 
ever, certain,  that  as  some  persons  love  what  is  new  only 
because  it  is  new,  so  others  love  what  is  old  only  because 
it  is  old.  In  so  doing,  they  have  this  advantage,  that,  be- 
ing always  stationary,  they  can  assume  the  appearance  of 
what  is  sometimes,  undoubtedly,  a  great  virtue,  a  stability 
and  fixity  of  mind;  an  immovable  persistence  in  which, 
they  represent  as  walking-  in  the  old  ways,  and  abiding  in 
the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  There  is  nothing, 
however,  in  which  persons  are  more  apt  to  be  deceived  by 
appearances,  than  in  the  case  of  those,  who,  in  thus  adher- 
ing to  antiquity,  are  presumed  to  have  a  fixity  and  stability 
of  principle.  It  is  often  for  the  very  reason  that  they  have 
no  such  thing,  that  they  are  glad  to  cling  to  any  thing 
which  appears  to  be  stationary,  and  hence  to  what  appears 
to  be  old.  They  are  like  a  vessel  without  rudder  or  com- 
pass; and  hence  feel  themselves  safe  only  in  harbor,  it  may 
be,  drawn  up  upon  shore,  and  there  made  secure ;  nothing  be- 
ing so  much  dreaded  by  them,  as  contact  with  the  element 
upon  which  they  were  designed  to  be  useful.  When  soci- 
ety in  general  is  formed  of  this  class,  they  who  receive 
what  appears  to  be  new  become  the  exceptions;  hence 
their  principles  are  more  the  subject  of 'notice,  and  a  love 
of  novelty  becomes  the  theme  of  general  reprobation,  while 
there  is  an  utter  silence  with  regard  to  the  love  of  antiqui- 
ty. Besides,  in  this  case,  the  errors  of  those  who  are  mis- 
led by  novelty,  are  errors  in  detail,  errors  of  individuals. 
The  errors  of  those  who  are  seduced  by  a  love  of  antiquity, 
are  errors  in  mass.  The  ruin  of  ten  minds  by  a  love  of 
novelty  is  ten  separate  events;  the  ruin  of  a  society,  nation, 
or  church,  by  a  mere  love  of  antiquity,  is  only  a  single 
event. 


70  I  N  T  E  R  X  A  L    S  E  X  S  E    O  F 

That  which  is  alleged  to  be  novel,  is,  however,  too  often 
judged  to  be  so  in  relation  to  that  which  is  common,  not  in 
relation  to  that  which  is  old.  Considered  in  relation  to 
that  which  is  common,  it  may  be  novel;  considered  in  rela- 
tion to  that  which  is  old,  it  may  not  be  so;  for,  instead  of 
being  any  thing  new,  it  may  be  only  the  old  revived.  Even, 
however,  the  love  of  antiquity  is  often  not  so  strong  as  the 
love  of  what  is  common;  for  it  is  frequently  the  case,  that, 
however  old  a  thing  may  be,  if  it  be  not  commonly  adopted, 
neither  its  excellence  nor  its  antiquity  will  be  of  any  avail 
in  introducing  it  into  practice.  The  approbation  of  antiqui- 
ty is  only  the  approbation  of  the  dead;  the  approbation  of 
society,  as  it  is,  is  the  approbation  of  the  living;  and  we 
know  how  strong  a  motive  to  action  has  been  always  the 
love  of  the  praise  of  men,  particularly  the  praise  of  the  liv- 
ing. Now  I  will  not  say,  that  a  person  might  not  read  the 
revelations  of  Swedenborg  out  of  a  love  of  novelty;  but  it 
will  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  that  there  are  too  many  barriers 
in  the  way  to  permit  him,  finally,  to  receive  them  upon  this 
principle;  and  that  it  is  as  absurd  to  suppose,  that  a  person 
does  so  from  a  mere  love  of  novelty,  as  to  suppose,  that  it 
is  a  mere  love  of  novelty  which  induces  the  natural  man  to 
become  spiritual.  It  is,  however,  singular,  that  many, 
when  arguing  upon  the  subject  of  doctrinal  novelties,  should 
entirely  forget  the  possibility  or  probability  of  any  new  reve- 
lation; and  treat  the  whole  subject  as  if  every  one  admit- 
ted, that  no  such  promise  in  Scripture  had  ever  been  made, 
or  as  if  no  rational  man  had  ever  believed  it;  for  if  it  be 
true  that  a  doctrine  is  false  because  it  is  new,  or  because 
no  one  had  any  opportunity  before  of  considering  whether 
it  were  true,  it  necessarily  follows,  that  any  alleged  revela- 
tion which  shall  pretend  to  any  thing  nev>%  come  with  what 
authority  it  may,  is  justly  entitled,  on  that  very  account,  to 
be  considered  as  the  greatest  delusion.  Besides,  although 
a  mere  love  of  novelty  deserves  to  be  condemned,  yet,  as 
one  extreme  is  apt  to  give  rise  to  another,  may  we  not  ask, 
whether  it  is  not  possible  that  the  blind  love  of  novelty  in 
some,  may  not  be  produced  by  the  blind  love  of  antiquity 
in  others?  May  not,  in  fine,  a  candid  mind  ask,  how  far 
the  following  observation,  which  Lord  Bacon  applied  to  the 
arts  and  sciences,  is  applicable  to  the  theology  of  the  day? 
"If  a  man  turn  his  eyes  to  the  library,  he  may,  perhaps,  be 
surprised  at  the  immense  variety  of  books  he  finds;  but, 
upon  examining  and  diligently  weighing  their  matters  and 
contents,  he  will  be  struck  with  amazement   on  the  other 


THEWORDOFGOD.  71 

side;  and,  after  finding  no  end  of  repetitions,  but  that  men 
continually  treat  and  speak  the  same  things  over  and  over 
again,  fall  from  his  admiration  of  the  variety  into  a  wonder 
at  the  want  and  scantiness  of  those  things,  which  have  hith- 
erto detained  and  possessed  the  minds  of  men."  Did  not 
this  great  genius  frequently  deplore  that  shew  of  variety  in 
scientific  works,  which,  upon  examination,  resolved  itself 
into  infinite  repetitions  of  a  few  things,  or  numerous  appli- 
cations of  a  few  principles  difierently  dressed  and  modelled, 
according  to  particular  humors,  fashions,  and  exigencies? 
(Nov.  Org.  Ap.  85.) 

A  sixth  objection,  to  which  I  now  advert,  is  one  which  is 
not  unfrcquently  advanced  by  divines,  namely,  that  discov- 
eries may  be  made  in  science  and  philosophy,  because  these 
are  subjects  proper  to  the  exercise  of  human  reason;  but 
that  God,  having  made  a  final  revelation,  which  in  no  wise 
resulted  from  any  exercise  of  our  faculties,  no  discoveries 
of  importance  in  Christianity  can  in  future  be  made,  nor 
can  any  more  be  expected. 

In  order  to  meet  the  objection  fairly,  allow  me  to  quote 
Your  Grace's  words.  "In  philosophy  w^e  know  not  that 
there  may  not  hereafter  be  discoveries  made,  even  of  great- 
er magnitude  and  importance  than  all  that  have  gone  be- 
fore; so  that  there,  though  a  rash  prejudice  in  favor  of 
every  thing  new  is  to  be  avoided,  the  pursuit  of  novelty  and 
truth  may  often  chance  to  coincide.  In  religion,  on  the 
contrary,  a  full  and  final  revelation  having  been  made,  no 
discovery,  properly  so  called,  of  any  high  importance,  is 
to  be  expected;  not  merely,  because  the  book  which  con- 
tains all  we  know  of  the  Divine  will  has  been  so  long 
before  us,  (for  so  also  has  the  book  of  nature,  in  which  we 
are  nevertheless  daily  reading  new  truths  which  had  escap- 
ed the  researches  of  our  predecessors,)  but  because  that 
book  was  designed  by  the  Almighty  to  convey  such  in- 
struction as  he  judged  needful  ibr  all;  which  purpose  it 
would  not  have  answered,  had  its  true  meaning  in  essen- 
tial points  been  hidden  until  now."  (Bampton  Lectures, 
page  79.) 

Let  us  suppose  the  case  of  a  person  cultivating  science 
and  philosophy,  not  from  a  love  of  novelty,  but  with  a  view 
of  improving  his  mind  and  acquiring  useful  knowledge.  It 
will  doubtless  be  granted,  that,  between  a  true  religion  on 
the  one  hand,  and  true  science  and  philosophy  on  the  other, 
there  is  some  connection,  and  not  only  so,  but  a  close  con- 
nection.    If  this  be  the  case,  is  it  reasonable  to  suppose, 


72  I  \  T  E  R  N  A  L    SENSE    OF 

that  discoveries  of  great  magnitude  and  importance  can  be 
made  in  science  and  philosophy,  without  producing  any 
changes  in  our  views  of  religion  ?  Or,  if  this  be  admitted, 
will  it  be  maintained  that  these  changes  will  not  be  of  any 
great  importance?  If  so,  let  us  take  a  case,  and,  first, 
that  of  science.  Suppose  science  should  discover,  that  there 
never  could  have  taken  place  such  a  flood  as  is  popularly 
thought  to  have  occurred  in  the  time  of  Noah;  and  that  the 
account  of  the  creation,  presented  to  us  in  the  book  of 
Genesis,  cannot  possibly  be  true  as  popularly  interpreted; 
would  the  consequences  arising  from  this  circumstance  oc- 
casion no  change  in  our  religious  views  of  any  importance? 
If  they  would  not,  (and  some  might  think  so,)  let  us  take 
the  case  of  philosophy.  Your  Grace  speaks,  in  your  Bamp- 
ton  Lectures,  page  187,  of  the  indistinct  comprehension 
we  have  of  numerous  words  familiarly  employed  in  our  rea- 
soning, "and  which  lead,  by  a  very  few  steps,  into  an  un- 
fathomable abyss  of  darkness.  Such  are  Time,  Space, 
Eternity,  Infinity,  Cause,  and,  in  short,  most  of  the  terms 
employed  in  the  discussion  of  questions  even  of  natural  re- 
ligion." Now,  as  it  is  acknowledged  that,  "in  philosophy, 
we  know  not  that  there  may  not  hereafter  be  discoveries 
made  even  of  greater  magnitude  and  importance  than  all 
that  have  gone  before,"  suppose  that,  under  the  blessing  of 
God,  philosophy  should  clear  up  our  ideas  upon  these  sub- 
jects; should  give  us  true  and  distinct  views  of  Time, 
Space,  Eternity,  Infinity,  Cause,  and  all  those  other  things 
which  enter  into  our  reasonings,  both  in  natural  and  re- 
vealed religion,  and  which.  Your  Grace  admits,  are  at  pre- 
sent but  a  few  steps  removed  from  an  unfathomable  abyss  of 
darkness;  can  it  be  said,  that  if  we  arrived  at  true  and 
clear  ideas  on  these  subjects,  no  discoveries  had  been  made, 
which,  in  relation  to  religious  knowledge,  would  be  of  any 
great  importance?  Suppose  that,  under  the  blessing  of  God, 
a  true  philosophy  should  discover  to  us  the  nature  of  the  in- 
tercourse between  the  soul  and  body,  nay,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree,  the  very  nature  of  the  soul  itself,  suppose  a  true 
philosophy  should  discover,  that  there  is  a  correspondence 
between  the  spirit  of  man  and  the  body  of  man,  hence,  be- 
tween the  world  of  spirit  and  the  world  of  matter;  suppose 
it  should  discover  the  very  nature  and  laws  of  this  corres* 
pondence,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  see,  that  material  things  are 
types  and  shadows  of  spiritual  things;  suppose,  above  all, 
that,  by  the  Divine  mercy,  it  furnished  us  with  a  key  to 
open  the  mysteries  of  God's  word,   and  enabled  us  to  per- 


THEWORDOFGOD.  73 

ceive,  that  His  Word  is  capable  of  being  interpreted  upon 
the  same  principle  as  His  works,  and  that,  if  so  interpret- 
ed, views  are  opened  to  us  of  the  nature  of  God  and  the 
nature  of  man,  in  comparison  with  which  all  our  former 
knowledge  was  ignorance  and  darkness; — can  it  be  said 
that,  under  such  circumstances,  no  discoveries  had  been 
made  which  would  have  any  important  influence  upon  our 
religious  ideas?  This  case  is  put  hypothetically,  because 
the  nature  of  the  argument  allows  me  to  do  so;  inasmuch 
as  it  is  admitted,  that  "in  philosophy  we  know  not  that 
there  may  not  hereafter  be  discoveries  made  even  of 
greater  magnitude  and  importance  than  all  that  have  gone 
before."  What,  my  Lord,  if  the  case  need  not  be  put 
hypothetically!  What,  if  these  discoveries  have  already 
been  made!  What,  if  the  light  has  shined  in  darkness,  and 
the  darkness  has  comprehended  it  not!  It  was  a  pointed 
question  once  asked  by  Svvedenborg,  '"Will  it  take  ages 
to  discover  the  truth,  or  ages  to  acknowledge  it  when  dis- 
covered?" Does  not  the  history  of  human  science  shew, 
that  in  proportion  as  a  truth  is  great,  and  transcending  the 
capacity  of  the  age,  it  is  either  forgotten  or  rejected? 

There  are  those,  however,  who,  in  opposing  our  views, 
would  carry  Your  Grace's  principles  farther,  perhaps,  than 
Your  Grace  might  be  disposed  to  do.  The  objection 
founded  upon  new  discoveries  in  religion  and  doctrinal 
novelties,  has  been  urged  against  us  not  unfrequently,  and 
insisted  upon  with  no  little  confidence.  It  should  be  re- 
membered, however,  that  we  do  not  profess  to  add  to,  or 
to  take  away  from,  the  written  Word  of  God.  That  Word 
we  consider  to  be  the  sole  foundation  of  a  true  church; 
and  in  a  stricter  sense,  too,  than  some  of  our  opponents, 
who  to  the  written  Word  add,  what  they  are  pleased  to 
call,  the  unwritten — an  addition  not  made  by  us,  and  one 
we  cannot  but  deplore.  I  grant  we  cannot  make  new  dis- 
coveries of  Divine  truth;  but  can  Divine  truth  make  no 
new  discoveries  of  itself  to  us?  What  is  our  progress  in 
the  Christian  life,  but  a  progress  in  Divine  love  and  wis- 
dom? What  is  our  progress  in  Divine  love,  but  one  from 
a  lower  to  a  higher  affection?  What  is  our  progress  in 
Divine  wisdom,  but  a  progress  from  the  practice  of  a  lower 
to  the  practice  of  a  higher  truth?  Are  we  always  to  stand 
still  upon  the  same  level?  Are  we  never  to  have  new 
thoughts  or  new  affections?  Though  we  can  make  no  new 
discoveries  in  revelation,  is  revelation  never  to  make  new 
discoveries  to  us?  When  we  find  a  received  truth  unpro- 
7 


74  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  F 

ductive,  is  it  not  a  sign,  either  that  it  is  not  genuine  or  that 
it  is  dead? — that,  in  fine,  it  is  speculative,  and  not  practi- 
cal? Yet  the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  a  living  prac- 
tical truth,  is  urged  against  us  as  a  mark  of  speculative 
and  visionary  doctrine;  while,  as  might  naturally  be  ex- 
pected, the  sure  mark  of  a  dead  and  speculative  doctrine, 
is  urged  against  us  as  the  only  sign  of  a  genuine  truth. 
If,  in  rejecting  what  are  called  doctrinal  novelties,  a  per- 
son means  to  maintain,  that,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  we  cannot  make  the  same  progress  in  the 
practical  truths  of  religion  as  in  the  practical  truths  of  sci- 
ence, we  must  be  allowed  to  repudiate  such  a  principle; 
believing,  that  any  church  which  maintains  it,  has  arrived 
at  the  last  days  of  its  spiritual  life.  P'or  how  can  we  go  on 
to  perfection,  if  we  are  to  stand  still  in  wisdom?  Or  how 
can  we  go  on  in  wisdom,  if  we  are  to  stand  still  in  truth? 
Is  it  not  in  religion  as  it  is  in  science,  that  one  truth  dis- 
covers another?  If,  then,  I  find  a  given  doctrine  originat- 
ing something  new,  the  r.ewness  of  the  discovery,  so  far 
from  being  necessarily  a  sign  of  the  speculative  nature  of 
the  doctrine,  viay  be  the  reverse;  because  a  dead  and 
speculative  doctrine  cannot  originate  any  thing  new  and 
practical,  any  more  than  a  merely  speculative  doctrine  in 
science,  or  one,  the  practical  application  of  which  cannot 
be  seen,  can  give  rise  to  a  new  discovery.  We  know  that 
the  Truth  of  God  is  eternal  and  immutable;  but  though  the 
truth  itself  cannot  change,  our  conceptions  of  it  may;  and 
indeed  become  so  entirely  difierent,  that,  in  popular  lan- 
guage, it  maybe  called  a  new  truth;  more  especially  if, 
in  our  original  view  of  it,  there  was  any  radical  error 
which  experience  has  enabled  us  to  detect  and  remove. 
We  ought  not,  then,  to  confound  our  ideas  of  a  truth  with 
the  truth  itself,  and  then  maintain,  that  because  a  truth  is 
immutable,  our  ideas  of  it  must  be  stationary, — and  that, 
consequently,  there  can  be  no  new  discoveries.*  The 
error  of  our  opponents  appears  to  lie  in  this:  They  first 
separate  doctrine  from  life:  they  make  it  objective,  not  sub- 
jective truth:  they  regard  much  more  our  faith  in  truth, 

*  I  am  awai-e  that  it  is  aflinittcd  by  Vincentlus,  that,  provided  we  keep  to  the 
received  doctrines  of  the  church,  we  may  make  as  many  new  discoveries  ia 
practical  religion  as  we  please.  That  is  to  say,  we  may  make  as  many  new 
discoveries  as  we  please,  provided  we  .start  upon  principles  upon  which  it  is 
impossible  to  make  any.  For  false  principles  never  can,  of  themselves,  lead  to 
the  discovery  of  new  "truths.  This  we  see  exemplified  in  the  history  of  the 
church,  which  certainly  does  not  appear  to  have  made  much  progress  in  this  re- 
spect, but  rather  the  reverse. 


THEVVORDOFGOD.  75 

than  truth  in  us,  growing  with  our  growth,  and  strength- 
ening with  our  strength;  and  because  they  do  this,  and 
consider  truth  to  be  extraneous  or  extrinsical  to  us,  and 
hence  incapable  of  growth  or  enlargement,  and  we  repudi- 
ate the  idea,  they  pronounce  that  we  are  speculative  and 
they  are  practical,  that  we  add  to  God's  Word  and  they 
leave  it  as  it  is.  Now,  we  believe  that  the  Word  of  God 
is  essential  life;  that  whatsoever  lives  in  us  must  grow, 
must  produce  in  us  something  new,  this  being  the  very 
sign  of  its  life.  We  do  not  add  to  the  Word  of  God,  but 
that  Word,  like  seed  sown  in  the  heart,  adds  to  itself;  and 
thus,  we  make  first  the  discovery  of  the  blade,  then  the 
new  discovery  of  the  ear,  then  the  new  discovery  of  the 
full  corn  in  the  ear;  then  comes  the  new  insemination  of 
the  newly-born  seed,  then  the  new  blade  of  the  seed  newly 
sown,  and  so  on  through  a  perpetual  series  of  progressions 
in  will,  wisdom,  and  practice.  Alas!  when  will  the  natural 
world  cease  to  be  a  type,  and  the  Christian  an  image,  of 
never-ending  progression.'*  When  will  corn  cease  to  be 
sown,  and  hence  to  be  re-generated .''  When  will  a  lower 
truth  cease  to  develop  a  higher;  the  higher,  one  that  is 
still  higher,  and  so  on  through  an  everlasting  process  of 
regeneration.'*  Assuredly,  if  regeneration  be,  after  all, 
only  "a  pure  act  of  GocVs  special  grace,  immanent  in  him- 
self and  terminating  in  man,  limited  and  determined  to  a  par- 
ticular time,  and  incapable  of  latitude  and  increase,''''  the 
whole  of  God's  spiritual  creation  must  be  virtually  station- 
ary. If  it  be  said  to  us,  "This  is  only  a  dispute  about 
words;  you  mean  by  regeneration  only  what  we  mean  by 
sanctification;"  I  answer,  if  this  be  the  case,  the  argument 
is  at  an  end;  but  I  believe  the  things  meant  are  funda- 
mentally different;  because  regeneration,  as  we  understand 
it,  is  founded  upon  a  doctrine  fundamentally  different,  and 
because  we  cannot  separate  spiritual  life  from  spiritual 
generation.  We  do  not  believe  spiritual  life  to  be  a  sim- 
ple expansion  of  the  same  germ,  or  the  mere  continuous 
enlargement  of  one  form;  it  is  not  like  a  perpetually 
expanding  circle,  but  a  perpetual  transition  out  of  a  lower 
form  into  a  higher;  out  of  lower  principles  into  higher; 
out  of  lower  affections  and  thoughts,  however  good  and 
true  of  their  kind,  into  others  still  purer,  and  nearer  to  the 
fountain  from  which  they  flow. 

Were  the  real  principles  of  the  progress  of  Christian 
life  known  and  acted  upon,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  we 
should  not  be  constantly  hearing  so  much  about  mystery 


76  INTERNAL    SENSE    OP 

in  religion.  Religion,  like  science,  would,  indeed,  always 
have  its  mysteries;  but  they  would  not  be  the  same  myste- 
ries. We  should  not  be  perpetually  walking  the  same 
level,  or  pursuing  the  same  monotonous  round;  beholding 
the  same  dull  cloud,  hanging  at  the  same  height,  over  the 
same  precipice,  in  the  same  valley,  much  less  gradually 
sinking  down  towards  us.  We  know,  indeed,  that  "the 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,"  that  "we  hear  the  sound 
thereof,  but  cannot  tell  whence  it  cometh  and  whither  it 
goeth;"  but  we  must  distinguish  between  that  condition 
which  necessarily  belongs  to  a  created  being,  and  that 
which  we  have  imposed  upon  ourselves.  The  regenera- 
tion of  the  soul,  next  to  the  glorification  of  the  Lord's  Hu- 
manity, is  the  Lord's  greatest  work:  it  is  a  work,  the 
mystery  of  which  we  never  shall  fully  comprehend;  and 
yet,  of  which  we  may  obtain  a  clearer  idea  in  proportion  to 
our  progress  in  Christianity.  Like  the  traveller  who 
ascends  the  Alps,  the  higher  he  goes,  the  higher  appear 
the  heigbts  he  has  to  ascend;  yet  the  broader  and  more 
comprehensive  the  view  which  lies  below  him.  Such  is 
the  picture  of  progress  in  spiritual  life,  and  hence,  in  new 
discovery,  which  is  made  by  the  Christian. 

Having  said  thus  much  upon  the  subject  of  novelty  and 
new  discovery,  we  proceed  to  the  objection,  as  thus  contin- 
ued in  the  Bampton  Lectures,  page  80. 

''li\  therefore,  for  instance,  a  new  mode  of  interpreting 
or  of  translating  Scripture  be  proposed  to  us,  which  mate- 
rially alters  its  doctrines  from  what  have  been  uniformly 
received,  we  have  no  need,  however  plausible  it  may 
appear,  to  rest  the  question  upon  critical  re&earches  into 
the  ancient  languages;  our  ready  answer  may  be,  that 
Plato,  or  Aristotle,  indeed,  may  have  designed  to  write 
mysteriously,  and  to  conceal  their  doctrines  from  all  but 
the  most  acute  philosophers;  and  that  Polybius,  or  Livy, 
may  have  been  accidentally  misunderstood  till  modern 
researches  cleared  up  their  narratives;  but  that,  if  the  true 
sense  and  doctrine  of  the  Bible  was  not  understood  by  any 
for  so  many  centuries,  it  cannot  be  called  at  least  a  final 
revelation." 

Here,  I  cannot  avoid  the  opportunity  of  expressing  the 
pleasure  I  feel,  in  finding  that  Your  Grace  possessed  too 
sound  a  judgment  to  insist  upon  uniformity  of  reception  as 
a  criterion  of  the  truth  of  Christian  doctrine;  and  though 
it  is  here  intimated,  that  certain  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
as  now  generally  understood,  have  been  uniformly  receiv- 


T  II  E     W  O  R  D     O  F    G  O  D  .  77 

ed,  yet  there  is  reason  to  think  that,  since  this  observation 
was  made,  the  distinguished  author  has  availed  himself  of 
the  privilege  of  modifying  his  views  upon  the  subject. 
Still,  as  uniformity  of  reception  is  asserted,  and  an  argu- 
ment is  founded  upon  it,  which,  in  an  external  point  of 
view,  militates  against  the  credit  of  Swedenborg's  alleged 
revelations;  as  the  principle,  moreover,  is  often  insisted 
upon  by  those  who  oppose  us,  and,  indeed,  is  one  of  the 
strong  holds  of  their  opposition,  I  may  be  pardoned,  per- 
haps, for  making  a  few  observations,  which,  were  I  appeal- 
ing to  the  judgment  of  Your  Grace  only,  I  should  consid- 
er altogether  unnecessary. 

Mention,  then,  is  here  made  of  doctrines  which  have  been 
uniformly  received;  and  the  question  is,  what  these  doc- 
trines are?  On  the  Primitive  Doctrine  of  Justification,  a 
modern  writer  observes* — "  When  from  age  to  age,  with- 
out any  variation,  the  Fathers  deliver,  as  the  sense  of  the 
whole  church,  an  interpretation  of  certain  texts  which  ex- 
hibits them  as  declaring  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  or  the 
doctrine  of  Christ's  Godhead,  or  the  doctrine  of  the  Atone- 
ment, and  the  like;  when,  from  the  very  beginning,  in  per- 
'petual  harmony,  they  professedly  speak,  not  merely  their 
own  private  sentiments,  but  the  sentiments  of  the  church 
at  large,  thef  Quod  semper ^  quod  ubique,  quod  ah   ommbiis; 

*  Faber  on  the  Primitive  Doctrine  of  Justification,  page  47. 

t  The  uiiiverFal  consent  of  Fathers  and  Councils,  &c.,  or  the  rvile  "qucd 
semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus;''''  does  not  appear  to  have  been  un- 
known to  the  Jewish  school  of  tradition,  if  we  may  trust  to  tiie  following  obser- 
vations in  Allen's  Modern  Judaism,  (chap,  iii ,)  as  stated  to  have  been  deriveil 
originally  from  Maimonides.  "Whatever  Joshua  and  the  elders  had  received 
from  Moses  was  admitted  ivithont  any  controversy  or  disagreement;  but  if 
there  was  any  branch  respecting  which  nothing  had  been  delivered  by  Moses, 
the  decision  proper  to  be  made,  in  such  a  case,  was  discovered  hy  fair  inference 
from  the  orisrinal  precepts,  by  the  help  of  some  of  the  thirteen  rules  given  to  Moses 
on  j\hunt  Sinai,  which  are  so  many  ways  of  argumentation  to  elicit  the  true 
sense  of  the  law.  In  some  cases  of  this  kind  there  ii>as  but  one  opinioti,  and  the 
decision  was  received  wit'i  universal  consent;  whenever  there  was  a  difference 
o(  senUmQwi,  the  opinion  of  the  majority  prevailed.'''' — '*When  Joshua  died,  all 
tlie  interpretations  which  he  had  receive  I  from  Moses,  together  with  all  that 
had  been  made  in  his  time,  whether  settled  by  unanimous  consent,  or  determin- 
ed by  zAe  opinion  of  the  majority,  were  transmitted  by  him  to  the  elders  who 
suivived  him.  Those  elders  conveyed  them  to  the  prophets,  and  by  one 
prophet  they  were  delivered  to  another  ;  so  that  no  age  passed  without  inqui- 
ries being  made  into  the  meaning  of  the  law,  and  conclusions  being  drawn 
fron>  it;  the  men  of  every  age  taking  the  determinations  of  their  predecessors  as 
the  foundations  of  their  conclusions.  Now,  respecting  the  foundations  received  by 
tradition,  there  never  was  any  disagTeemr7it  down  to.  the  time  of  tfie  men  of  thu 
great  synagogue,''''  fyc.  Among  the  various  ordinances  to  b©  observe^l,  as  con- 
taiueJ  in  the  Mishaa,   were  th3  following  : — "  Interpretations  received  from 

7* 


78  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L     SENSE     OF 

I  really,  however  mortifying  such  an  opinion  may  be  to 
modern  self-:;onceit,  cannot  help  thinking,  that  the  authori- 
ty of  their  interpretation  considerably  transcends  the  au- 
thority of  any  mere  private  interpretation,  even  of  the  en- 
lightened nineteenth  century."  The  learned  author  had 
previously  observed,  in  the  same  chapter, — "  It  is  some- 
what remarkable,  that  the  Church  of  England,  notwith- 
standing she  defines  the  doctrine  of  Justification  after  a 
manner  altogether  different  from  that  which  has  been 
adopted  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  similarly  appeals  to  an- 
tiquity as  her  voucher  for  primitive,  and  therefore  accurate 
interpretation."  To  these  two  statements  allow  me  to  add 
a  few  more;  and,  first,  one  by  Your  Grace.  (Essays, 
page  361.) — "We  may,  however,  perversely  refuse  to 
take  advantage  of  these  wise  provisions,*  by  exalting,  like 
the  Romanists,  (and  I  am  sorry  to  say,  some  Protestants  of 
these  days,)  the  Creeds,  Formularies,  Sec.  which  are  sanc- 
tioned by  tradition,  and  by  the  enactments  of  a  church,  to 
a  level  ivilli  the  Scriplures.  Then,  indeed,  v/e  incur  the 
evils  already  spoken  of,  with  the  additional  one  of  '  teach- 
ing for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.'  Such  a  sys- 
tem, accordingly,  tends  to  foster  that  neglect  of  the  study  of 
Scripture,  that  averseness  to  labor  in  the  investigation  of 
truth, — that  indolent,  uninquiring  acquiescence  in  what  is 
ready  prepared  for  acceptance,  in  the  lump, — to  which  man 
is  by  nature  so  much  disposed,  and  which  the  structure  of 
the  Christian  Scriptures  seems  to  have  been  expressly  de- 

Mo?e.^,  which  are  cither  implied  in  the  Avritten  law,  or  elicited  from  it  by  rea- 
soning, and  thexe  have  never  been  controverted;  but  as  soon  as  any  one  said,  '1 
hatJP  received  it  by  tradition,''  the  point  was  settled.''^  Again,  "Opinions  that 
had  been  formed  by  the  thirteen  ways  of  reasoning,  and  which  were  first  controver- 
ted and  afterwards  drtcrminrd  by  the  majority.'''' — It  appears  also  that  tlie  rule, 
qu'jd  semper  qund  uhique,  quod  ab  omnibus,  was  not  unknown  to  the  heathens, 
who  pleaded  it  against  Christians  in  favor  of  their  idolatrv.  If  it  be  replied, 
"  We  prove  our  tradition  by  Scripture;"  the  answer  is,  it  is  reasoning  in  a 
circle  to  prove  tradition  by  Scripture,  if,  in  so  doing,  we  are  allowed  to  inter- 
pret Sciipture  only  by  tradi  ion.  I  wjll  here  add,  that  the  consent  of  the 
Fathers  appears  to  be  sometimes  spoken  of  as  if  it  were  a  consent  or  agree- 
ment of  tlieir  privxile  sentiments;  whereas  it  seems  that,  in  general,  they  re- 
signed all  right  to  any  private  sentiments  in  regard  to  fundamental  doctrines, 
and  considered  themselves  bound  to  consent  to  that  wh'ch  others  had  handed 
to  them  on  the  authority  of  tradition.  With  regard  to  the  doctrines  alleged  to 
be  thus  sanctioned  bv  tradition,  authors  do  not  appear  to  be  agreed;  some  con- 
fining them  only  to  the  Apostles' creed;  others,  including  theNicene;  others, 
also,  th  •  Athanasian  crerd  ;  and  others,  a  variety  of  other  doctrines,  each  ac- 
cording to  iiis  own  particular  views.  Some  auth<ns,  again,  appear  to  consider  the 
Nicene  an<l  Athanasian  creeds  only  as  a  kind  of  inlcipretalion  of  certain  parts 
of  the  Apostles'  creed. 

*  The  omissinn,  in  Scripture,  of  a  summary  of  Christian  doctrine. 


THEWORDOFGOD.  79 

signed  to  guard  against.  And  all  this  evil  is  incurred  by 
reliance  on  an  infallibility,  (either  of  some  particular 
Church,  or  some  undefined  universal  Church,)  which,  after 
all,  is  onlij  imaginai'ij.  When  we  inquire,  what  we  are  to 
receive  as  sanctioned  by  the  unerring  judgment  of  the 
Universal  Church,  the  answer  usually  given,  is,  '  whatever 
has  been  believed,  always,  every  where,  and  by  all,'  (quod 
semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus;)  but  if  those  who 
give  this  answer,  are  requested  to  make  out  a  list  of  the 
articles  of  faith  which  fulfil  these  conditions,  and  to  prove 
them  to  be  such,  they  do  not  find  it  easy.  They  do,  how- 
ever, often  find  it  easy  to  make  an  unlearned  Christian  be- 
lieve, that  what  their  church  and  their  party  hold,  is  to  be 

received    by    him    as    possessing    this    claim." To    take 

another  instance:  speaking  of  the  rule  of  faith  adopted 
by  the  Roman  Catholics  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, Bishop  Marsh  observes:* — "  It  is  represented  as  a 
doctrinatradita,  handed  down  by  the  Fathers  of  the  Church, 
who  are  considered  as  the  depositories  of  this  rule;  whence 
it  is  inferred,  that  the  expositions  in  which  they  agree,  are 
the  true  expositions  of  Scripture.  Now  all  this  is  mere 
matter  of  oinnion,  and  is  calculated  solely  to  support  the 
credit  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  There  is  not  the  slightest 
historical  evidence  that  the  apostles  transmitted  to  posterity 
any  rule  but  what  is  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  The 
Fathers,  therefore,  are  precisely  on  the  same  footing,  with 
respect  to  the  authority  of  their  interpretations,  as  the  com- 
mentators of  the  jjresent  age.  Nor,  in  fact,  are  they  uni- 
form in  their  interpretations,  even  in  regard  to  doctrine, 
notvv'ithstanding  the  agreement  alleged  by  the  Church  of 
Rome;  though  some  commentators  may  be  selected,  as  well 
ancient   as   modern,  which  agree  on  particular  points.  "|— 

*  Interpretation  of  the  Bible. — Lecture  i,  page  274. 

f  In  making  these  few  qtiotations,  my  only  object  is  to  shew  (he  general 
reader  that  the  author  of  the  Essays  does  not  stand  alone  in  his  opinion.  I  have 
no  desire  to  enter  far  into  the  revived  controversy  on  the  subject  of  tradition,  as 
it  is  not  necessary  to  the  present  argument.  They  who  wish  to  read  more  upon 
this  question,  may  consult  the  works  of  Middleton,  Chillingworth,  and  Water- 
land;  also,  Vincent's  Commonitory;  the  sermons  of  Hawkins,  Keble,  and 
Pearson;  Newman's  Popular  Protestantism;  Russell's  Judgment  of  the  Angli- 
can Church;  Palmer  on  the  Church  of  Christ;  the  Via  Media  and  Consensus 
Omnium,  by  members  of  ih.e  Oxford  convocation ;  also  Perceval's  Christian 
Priesthood,  &c.,  and  though  last,  not  least,  an  Inquiry  into  the  Use  of  Church 
Authority  and  Tradition,  &c.,  by  J.  M.  Capes,  B.  A.,  of  Baliol  College, 
Oxford. 

Many,  however,  of  the  foregoing  authors,  having  attempted  to  establish  the 


80  INTERNAL    SENSE     OF 

Again,  Mr.  Chillingworth,  who  is  no  inferior  authority, 
at  least  with  some  Protestants,  observes,  "I,  for  my  part, 
after  a  long,  and,  as  I  verily  believe  and  hope,  impartial 

aulhorlty  of  tradition,  it  is  of  importance  to  bear  in  nnind  the  moral^  nature  of  an 
appeal  to  it,  whatever  be  its  decision,  as  tiie  tribunal  for  determining  the  trutll 
of  Ciiristian  doctrine.  It  may  be  observed,  then,  that  the  authority  or  testimo- 
ny of  tradition  is  only  external;  and  where  a  doctrine  is  inculcated  and  made 
to  rest  upon  external"  authority,  the  belief  in  the  doctrine,  as  founded  upon  this 
authority,  is  only  external  :  and,  so  far  as  a  church  is  composed  of  menr;becs 
who  possess  only  an  external  faith,  so  far  it  is  only  an  external  church,  and  an 
external  chuicli  isone  that  has  a  name  that  it  lives,  but  is  dead.  Suppose, 
therefore,  all  the  doctrines  which  it  is  alleged  are  sanctioned  by  tradition, 
were  true;  vet,  if  they  are  received  only  upon  the  authority  of  tradition,  or  the 
principle  9M0(/  semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus,  the  church  which  so  receives 
them  is  a  church  only  in  name,  having  the  form,  but  not  the  power  of  godliness. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  ail  ajipeals  even  to  Scripture;  for  though  a  man  could 
prove  a  thousand  times,  the  doctrines  of  the  church  to  be  in  Saiptnre,  yet  if 
they  are  not  in  him,  if  he  has  not  the  evidence  or  the  w  itness  of  the  Spirit 
within  himself,  to  the  truth  of  those  doctrines,  he  is  no  real  member  of  the 
chm-cli  of  Christ.  Therefore,  although  all  tlie  doctrines  of  a  church  could  be 
proved  to  be  true,  both  from  Scripture  and  from  tradition,  this  would  not 
prove  that  the  church  was  really  a  church,  or  that  its  visitation  was  not  nigh  at 
hand;  for,  notwithstanding  allthis,  there  migiit  be  no  truth  in  the  church,  and, 
as  such,  it  might  still  be  a  desolation.  It  will  be  replied,  "Are  we,  then,  in 
support  of  the  truth  of  a  doctrine,  to  rest  only  on  the  internal  evidence  of  the  Spirit"? 
Surely  if  we  do  so,  every  one  will  follow  his  own  way,  and  claim  the  evidence 
of  the  Spirit  for  his  own'interpretations,  however  contradictory  to  those  of  ano- 
ther, who  claims  the  same  evidence."  I  answer,  if  the  church  has  come 
to  this,  and  many  affirm  that  it  has,  it  has  come  to  its  end.  All  unity  produc- 
ed by  external  means,  is  only  an  external  unity,  a  unity  that  may  exist 
where  there  is  internal  disunion  ;  and  where  there  is  internal  disunion,  there  is, 
Eo  far,  i:o  real  cluirch.  I  have  here  supposed  the  c?se  of  the  d'  ctrincs  of  the 
church  to  be  true:  but  what  if  they  are  uiUrue'?  Certamly,  doctrines  which 
are  untrue  can  have  no  internal  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  tlieir  being  true,  and,  as 
such,  external  evidence  is  their  proper  and  only  basis:  they  wlso,  therefore, 
plead  the  authority  of  the  church  and  of  tradition,  as  the  foundation  of  certain 
doctrines,  are  only  pursuing  that  course  which  a  church  would  do,  whose  doc- 
trines were  incapable  of  afibrding  any  internal  evidence  of  their  truth,  or  which, 
in  fine,  were  untrue.  Hence,  when  persons  arc  told,  that  there  are  certain  doc- 
trines upon  which  they  have  no  right  to  exercise  a  pnvate  judgment,  but  that 
they  must  take  them  upon  the  authority  of  the  church,  I  answer,  'They  are  told 
oidy  what  they  would  very  naturally  he  told  by  a  merely  external  church.'  Be- 
sides, if,  in  regard  to  certain  doctrines  of  a  church,  the  right  of  private  judg- 
ment ought  to  he  taken  away,  to  prevent  its  n",embers  from  failing  into  heresies, 
it  follows,  that  no  person  has  any  right  to  conchide  those  doctrines  to  be  true, 
merely  from  the  convictions  of  his  own  private  judgment.  It  is  inconsistent  to 
admit  the  right  of  private  judgment  in  another,  when  this  judgment  happens  to 
coincide  with  the  views  of  a  given  church;  and  to  reject  that  right  when  the 
private  judgment  differs  from  them.  If  it  be  said,  that  we  admit  the  right  of 
private  judgment,  but  it  must  not  interfere  with  that  of  Fathers  and  Councils; 
what  is  this,  but  making  internal  convictions,  which  may  be  the  operations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  subordinate  to  the  decisions  of  councils'?  Besides,  what 
makes  so  many  afraid  of  the  exercise  of  private  judgment!  Why  should  they 
discourage  it?  Why  should  they  flee  from  it  as  from  some  fearful  enemy"?  How 
much  better  would  it  be  for  them  to  seek  to  enlighten  the  judgment,  than  to  de- 
stroy it.     Can  they  think,  that,  when  science  is  making  such  progress;   when. 


THEVVORDOFGOD.  81 

search  of  the  true  way  to  eternal  happiness,  do  profess 
plainly  that  I  cannot  find  any  rest  for  the  sole  of  my  foot, 
but  on  this  rock  only  (of  the  Scriptures.)  I  see  plainly, 
and  with  my  own  eyes,  that  there  are  Popes  against  Popes, 
Councils  against  Councils,  some  Fathers  against  others,  the 
same  Fathers  against  themselves,  a  consent  of  Fathers  of 
one  age  against  a  consent  of  Fathers  of  another  age,  the 
Church  of  one  age  against  the  Church  of  another  age. 
Traditive  interpretations  of  Scripture  are  pretended,  bid  there 
are  few  or  none  to  he  found,'''  ^^c.  (Religion  of  Protestants, 
chap,  vi,  art.  dQ .) 

The  fact,  then,  of  uniformity  of  reception  appears  to  be 
disputed.  The  quod  semper,  quod  ubiqiie,  quod  ah  omnihus, 
is  a  rule,  the  existence  of  which  is  as  much  contested  as 
the  doctrines  it  is  called  upon  to  settle.  Besides,  even  if 
it  were  not,  its  first  principle,  as  a  test  of  Divine  truth,  are 
inadmissible ;  inasmuch  as  they  resolve  themselves  only  into 
those  of  time,  space,  and  custom — which  are  far  more  ap- 
plicable to  the  fashions  of  the  world,  than  to  the  doctrines 
of  eternal  life.  The  always  of  Divine  truth  is  not  the 
always  of  time,  but  of  eternity:  the  every  where  is  not  that 
of  space,  which  is  finite,  but  of  the  Spirit  of  Him,  who  is 
omnipresent  :  and  the  hy  all,  is  not  that  of  the  many  who 
are    called,    but    of   the  few  who  are   chosen.     A  truth, 

day  after  day,  upon  all  oilier  subjects,  appeals  are  made  to  the  judgment,  un- 
derstanding, and  reason;  when  man  is  constantly  being  roused  and  invited  to 
the  free  exercise  of  his  faculties;  it  will  be  possible  to  repress  that  freedom  the 
moment  he  tnrns  his  attention  to  matters  of  religionl  Perhaps,  a  great  deal  is 
laid  to  the  charge  of  private  judgment,  which  properly  docs  not  belong  to  it. 
Many  claim  this  right  on  religious  matters,  who  do  not  exercise  it  when  they 
have  it:  they  are  too  supine,  or  too  prejudiced:  they  either  make  no  attempt  to 
understand  what  is  submitted  to  thein,  or,  in  making  the  attempt,  are  carried 
away  by  their  feelings.  After  all,  therefore,  that  is  said  in  favor  of  the 
right  of  private  judgment  by  those  who  maintain  it,  or  that  is  laid  to  its 
charge  by  those  who  deny  it,  I  believe  the  right  is  comparatively  but  little  exer- 
cised. Many  pretend  to  exercise  the'iv  judgme7it,  who,  in  fact,  do  no  such  thing. 
One  great  evil  of  the  present  day,  moreover,  is  carelessness  and  unconcern  in 
matters  of  religion — a  consequent  readiness  to  leave  the  important  subjects  of 
religion  to  others,  whose  sole  business  they  conceive  it  to  be  to  judge  of  them; 
by  which  means,  they  save  themselves  all  trouble  of  thinking  of  them,  which 
they  often  do,  under  the  pretext  of  orthodoxy,  and  unwillingness  to  interfere 
with  the  supposed  office  of  the  church.  I  will  only  add,  that,  considering  the 
Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  of  God  has  not  been  known  to  the  church,  and  that 
this  sense  is  the  only  internal  evidence  we  can  have  of  the  Divine  Inspiration  of 
every  part  of  it,  tradition  has  doubtless  served  a  providential  purpose,  in  pre- 
serving this  Word  to  the  present  jieriod ;  and,  so  far  as  the  Divinity  of  this 
Word  is  not  received,  except  upon  the  authority  of  tradition,  so  far,  undoubtedly, 
tradition  is  allowed  by  Providence  as  a  testimony  to  its  Divine  Inspiration: 
this  testimony,  however,  is  only  external,  and  in  proportion  as  the  church  rests 
upon  it,  it  is  only  an — external  church. 


82  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  P 

though  only  the  alleged  novelty  of  yesterday,  may  have  in 
it  more  of  durability,  than  a  doctrine  which  has  lasted  from 
the  time  of  the  fall  :  though  confined  only  to  a  single  spot 
of  earth,  it  may  have  in  it  more  of  the  principle  of  ubiqui- 
ty, than  an  opinion  which  has  spread  itself  over  the  globe  : 
though  received  only  by  one,  it  may  have  in  it  more  of 
catholicity,  than  an  opinion  which  has  been  received  by 
one  million.  Indeed,  to  test  the  eternal  truth  of  a  doctrine 
by  the  number  of  hours  it  has  lasted,  as  counted  out  by  the 
clock;  the  universality  of  its  nature,  by  the  multitude  of 
superficial  miles  over  which  it  has  extended,  by  the  decrees 
of  human  authority,  or  by  the  number  of  voices  who  have 
proclaimed  in  its  favor;  is  to  employ  a  test  which  is  worthy 
only  of  that  Avhich  can  be  so  tested.  Let  us,  then,  concede 
to  the  fashions  of  the  world  the  principles  of  time,  space, 
and  custom;  and  reserve  to  ourselves  the  only  character- 
istics of  divine  truth; — its  intrinsic  eternity,  infinity,  and 
universality. 

But  it  is  said,  "  if  the  true  sense  and  doctrine  of  the 
Bible  was  not  understood  by  any  for  so  many  centuries,  it 
cannot  be  called  at  least  a  final  revelation."* 

Perhaps,  in  the  ideas  conveyed  by  the  term  revelation, 
there  is  a  slight  ambiguity.  It  is  often  used  to  convey  one 
or  both  of  two  things  ;  either  the  thing  communicated,  or 
our  apprehension  of  its  nature.  If  it  be  meant  to  signify 
the  thing  communicated,  of  course,  a  thing  may  be  commu- 
nicated to  us  which  we  do  not,  therefore,  necessarily,  un- 
derstand. The  Apocalypse  of  St.  John,  for  instance,  com- 
monly called  the  Book  of  Revelations,  communicates,  as 
many  are  willing  to  admit,  a  variety  of  things  of  the  mean- 
ing of  which  they  have  no  apprehension;  and  hence,  there 
is  no  book  of  which  the  meaning  more  requires  to  be  re- 
vealed, than  the  Book  of  Revelation  itself  Still,  in  one 
sense,  although  a  person  may  not  understand  the  book,  he 

*  "Tlie  more  distinct  and  particular  knowledge  of  tlio?e  thing?,  the  study  of 
which  the  apostle  calls  going  on  unto  perfection,  and  of  the  prophetic  parts  of 
revelation,  like  many  parts  of  natural  and  even  civil  knowledge,  may  require 
very  exact  thought  and  careful  consideration,  l^he  hindiances,  too,  of  natural 
and  of  f^upernatural  light  and  knowledge,  have  been  of  the  same  kind.  And,  as 
it  is  ouncd  the  whole  scheme  of  Sciipturc  is  jul  yit  unden^tood,  so,  if  it  ever  comes 
to  be  tmderstood,  iiefore  the  restitution  of  all  things  and  without  miraculo^is  in- 
terpositirms ,  it  must  be  in  the  same  way  as  natural  knowledge  is  come  at, — by 
the  continuance  and  progress  of  learning  and  of  liberty,  and  by  particular  per- 
sons attending  to,  comparing,  and  pursuing,  intimations  scattered  up  and  down 
jt,  which  are  overlooked  and  disregarded  by  the  generality  of  the  world." 
(Butler's  Analogy,  Part  2,  chap,  iii.)  '  •  . 


THEVVORDOFGOD.  83 

may  admit  it  to  be  a  final  revelation  ;  but  if  by  this  he 
means  to  imply,  that  its  meaning  or  interpretation  is  no 
further  to  be  understood,  then,  undoubtedly,  it  is  not  a  final 
revelation.  Revelation,  therefore,  so  far  as  the  book  itself 
is  concerned,  is  final  ;  so  far  as  our  understanding  its  con- 
tents is  concerned,  it  is  not  final.  This  distinction,  which 
I  cannot  but  think  will  be  readily  admitted,  removes  the 
difficulty  above  stated.  For  v/hen  it  is  said,  that  the  Bible 
was  designed  by  the  Almighty  to  convey  such  instruction 
as  He  judged  needful  for  all,  reference  is  evidently  made 
to  the  book — the  book  as  containing  instruction,  and  which 
would  fully  answer  its  purposes  as  a  record  of  the  Divine 
Will,  without  its  being  necessarily  understood.  It  is  not 
the  book  that  makes  us  understand,  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  makes  us  understand  the  book  ;  and  I  apprehend,  that 
the  understanding  of  the  book  is  left  to  every  man's  option, 
and  depends,  in  a  measure,  upon  the  means  which  are  put 
in  his  power.  The  book,  therefore,  would  answer  its  pur- 
pose as  a  means  of  conveying  instruction,  even  though 
but  few  were  willing  to  resort  to  the  use  of  these  means. 
It  certainly  contains  truths  needful  for  all  ;  yet  none  are 
compelled  to  receive  it  :  they  may,  if  they  will,  reject  it  : 
still,  although  they  reject  it,  the  book,  nevertheless,  serves 
its  purpose  as  a  record  of  the  Divine  Will,  and  a  testimony 
against  them. 

If,  then,  God  has  given  us  a  book,  the  knowledge  of  whose 
truths  is  necessary  to  our  salvation;  and  if,  at  the  same 
time,  we  are  not  compelled  to  understand  them,  it  follows 
that,  notwithstanding  our  possession  of  the  book,  causes 
may  operate  to  blind  our  eyes,  and  to  prevent  us,  some  in 
a  greater,  some  in  a  less  degree,  from  understanding  the 
nature  of  its  contents,  and  that,  too,  even  in  essential 
points.*      The    question,    therefore    is,    What    are   these 

*  "It  may  be  objected  still  farther,  and  more  generally, — 'The  Scripture  rep- 
resents the  world  in  a  state  of  ruin,  and  Christianity  as  an  expedient  lo  recover 
it,  to  help  in  these  respects  where  nature  fails;  in  particular,  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciences  of  natural  liglit.  Is  it  credible,  then,  that  so  many  ages  should  have 
been  let  pass,  before  a  matter  of  such  a  sort,  of  so  great  and  so  general  impor- 
tance, was  made  known  to  mankind ;  and  then  that  it  should  be  made  known  to 
BO  small  a  part  of  them'?  Is  it  conceivable,  that  this  supply  should  be  so  very 
deficient,  should  have  the  like  obscurity  and  doubtfulness,  be  liable  to  the  like 
perversions,  in  short,  lie  open  to  all  the  like  objections,  as  the  liglit  of  nature 
itself  1'  Without  determining  how  far  this  fact  is  so,  I  answer,  it  is  by  no 
means  incredible  that  it  might  be  so,  if  the  light  of  nature  and  of  revelation  be 
from  the  same  hand.  Men  are  naturally  liable  to  diseases,  for  which  God,  in 
his  good  Providence,  has  provided  natural  remedies.  But  remedies  existing  in 
natiu'e  have  been  unknown  to  mankind  for  many  ages;  are  known  but  to  few 


84  INTERNALSENSEOF 

causes? — and  is  it  the  fact  that  they  have  so  operated? 
Now  Your  Grace  will  admit,  that  all  these  causes  may  be 
considered  as  centred  in  one,  namely,  a  natural  and  carnal 
mind.  As  to  the  question,  whether  this  cause  has  operated, 
so  as  to  produce  a  diversity  of  doctrines;  whether  it  has 
made  it  no  easy  task  for  some  to  determine  what  doctrines 
have  been  uniformly  received,  and  induced  others  to  resort 
to  the  opinions  of  men,  rather  than  to  the  Spirit  of  Truth; — 
these,  it  appears,  are  tolerably  certain  facts.  Whether, 
again,  it  has  produced  a  diversity  of  incongruous  modes  of 
interpretation,  is  a  question  we  now  proceed  to  consider. 

With  respect  to  the  quotation  about  to  be  made,  it  is  to 
be  observed,  that  it  does  not  convey  the  sentiments  merely 
of  an  individual,  but  of  an  existing  class  of  the  Protestant 
community.  I  refer  to  a  work  entitled  "The  History  of 
the  Rise  and  Early  Progress  of  Christianity;"*  and,  in 
reading  the  quotation,  it  will  be  desirable  to  mark  the  sev- 
eral gradations  by  which,  it  seems,  since  the  Reformation, 
or  the  period  when  the  church  began  to  profess  itself  to  be 
founded  upon  the  Scriptures  only,  a  highly  respected  Di- 
vine of  the  Church  of  England  maintains,  that  the  estima- 
tion in  which  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  has  been  held, 
has  been  gradualhj  on  the  decline.  For  the  convenience  of 
the  reader,  the  several  stages  are  numbered. 

1.  "Whilst  Christians,  of  all  denominations,  have  ever 
agreed  in  admitting  the  inspiration  of  the  New  Testament, 
on  no  one  point,  perhaps,  has  there  been  a  greater  diver- 
sity of  opinion,  than  on  the  character  of  this  inspiration. 
On  this  diversity  of  view,  one  general  remark  may  be  haz- 
arded, and  it  will  be  found,  I  think,  warranted  by  histori- 
cal fact.     In  proportion   as  inspiration  has  been  made  to 

now;  probably  many  valuable  ones  are  not  known  yet.  Great  has  been,  and 
is,  tlie  obscurity  and  difficulty  iu  the  nature  and  application  of  them.  Circum- 
stances seem  often  to  make  them  very  improper,  where  they  are  absolutely  ne- 
cessary. It  is  after  long  labor  and  study,  and  many  unsuccessful  endeavors, 
that  they  are  brought  to  be  as  useful  as  they  are;  after  high  contempt  and  abso- 
lute rejection  of  the  most  upeful  we  have;  and  after  disputes  and  doubts  which 
have  eeemed  to  be  endless.  The  best  remedies,  too,  when  unskilfully,  much  more, 
if  dishonestly,  applied,  may  produce  new  diseases;  and  with  the  rightest  appli- 
cation, the  success  of  them  is  often  doubtful.  In  many  cases,  they  are  not  at 
all  effectual ;  where  they  are,  it  is  often  very  slowly ;  and  the  application  of  them, 
and  the  necessary  regimen  accompanying  it,  is,  not  uncommonly,  so  disagree- 
able, that  some  will  not  submit  to  them;  and  satisfy  themselves  with  the  excuse, 
that  ifthey  would,  it  is  not  certain  whether  it  would  be  successful."  (Butler's 
Analogy,  chap,  iii,  part  2.) 

*  By  the  Rev.  S.  Hinds,  M.  A.,  Vice  Principal  of  St.  Alban's  Hall,  Oxford. 
Appendix,  vol.  ii,  Article,  Inspiration  of  Scripture. 


THEWORDOFGOD.  85 

approach  to  a  complete  inditing  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
Scriptures  have  been  neglected.  The  consequence  of  the 
study  and  application  of  the  Bible,  from  the  period  of  the  Re- 
formation, has  been,  gradually  and  progressively  to  limit  the 
extent  of  inspiration ;  and,  by  so  doing,  to  vindicate  the  holy 
character  of  what  is  unquestionably  of  Divine  origin,  and 
to  make  the  application  of  the  rule  of  faith  more  sure.  It 
was  only  perhaps  in  the  worst  ages  of  superstition,  that  an 
entire  inspiration  of  matter,  words,  and  composition  gen- 
erally, like  that  asserted  of  the  Koran,  was  universally  con- 
tended for.  At  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  Luther 
placed  the  first  limit  on  this  view,  and  contended  that  the 
matter  only  was  of  Divine  origin,  the  composition  human, 
&c. 

2.  "With  the  gradual  progress  of  inquiry,  however,  and 
the  more  diligent  use  of  Scripture,  a  firther  liinitation  came 
in  time  to  be  put  on  scriptural  inspiration.  It  became  a 
qu-estion,  wh€ther  even  all  the  matter  of  the  Bible  was  to  be 
considered  as  having  the  stamp  of  Divine  truth  on  it.  The 
progress  of  natural  philosophy  made  it  impossible,  that  any 
thing  but  blind  superstition  should  assert  this  character  for 
all  physical  facts;  and  the  whole  branch  of  topics  which 
fall  under  that  head,  have  been  accordingly  excluded  by  a 
great  part  of  Christians,  Sec. 

3.  "But  one  portion  of  the  matter  of  the  Bible,  its  natu- 
ral philosophy,  having  been  once  excluded  from  the  sphere 
of  inspiration,  in  the  view  of  so  many  learned  and  pious 
Christians,  further  doubts,  on  similar  grounds,  have  been 
suggested  respecting  the  statement  of  those  historical  facts, 
which  belong  not  to  sacred,  but  to  profane  history.  It  has 
been  justly  contended,  that  similar  difficulties  are  obviated 
by  excluding  profane  history,  as  by  excluding  natural  phi- 
losophy; and  that  there  is  no  more  ground  for  maintaining 
the  inspiration  of  the  sacred  writers  in  the  one,  than  in  the 
other  case,  &c. 

4.  "It  would  lead  to  much  more  discussion  than  is  com- 
patible with  a  mere  note,  to  enter  into  the  general  ques- 
tions of  what  further  limitations  may  and  ought  to  be  put  on 
the  inspired  character  of  Scripture.  I  will  only  briefly 
state,  that  the  following  may  perhaps,  on  reflection,  be  found 
not  inconsistent  with  the  purest  view  of  God's  written  word. 
It  may  be  fairly  questioned,  then,  first,  whether  even  its 
sacred  history  is  inspired.  For  although,  wherever  a  point 
of  faith  or  practice  is  involved  in  the  historical  record,  in- 
spiration must  be   supposed,   (else  the   application  of  the 

8 


86  INTERNAL    SENSE    OF 

record,  as  an  infallible  rule,  must  be  abandoned,)  yet,  where 
this  is  not  the  case,  there  seems  to  be  no  necessity  for  sup- 
posing inspiration;  and  by  not  supposing  it,  several  difficul- 
ties in  the  attempt  to  harmonize  the  sacred  historians  are 
removed." 

5.  Again:  "Proceeding  still  on  the  principle,  that  the 
truths  to  be  believed,  the  material  of  faith,  is  the  point  to 
which  the  control  or  suggestions  of  inspiration  must  have 
been  directed,  and  to  which  alone  it  is  necessary  for  con- 
stituting the  Bible  the  rule  of  faith,  that  it  should  be  direct- 
ed, the  reasoning  of  the  inspired  writers  may  be  considered 
safely  as  their  own.  I  do  not  mean  to  impugn  the  reason- 
ing of  any  one  passage  in  the  apostolical  writings;  but 
were  any  found  open  to  it,  the  circumstance  would  not, 
according  to  this  view,  affect  the  inspired  character  and 
authority  of  the  work.  The  asseriio7is,  not  the  proofs,  are 
the  proper  objects  of  unqualified  assent,"  &.c.  &.c.  he. 

While,  however,  there  are  authors  in  the  Protestant 
Church,  who  think  the  only  way  of  vindicating  the  Scrip- 
tures is  that  of  indiscriminately  lowering  their  inspiration, 
there  are  others  on  the  opposite  side,  who  consider  the  only 
way  of  doing  so,  is  that  of  indiscriminately  exalting  it:  and 
it  is  with  pain  I  add,  there  is  as  much  confusion  on  this  side 
as  on  the  other.  A  modern  eminent  writer,*  who  advo- 
cates the  highest  degree  of  Divine  inspiration  for  all  the 
books  now  commonly  composing  our  Scripture,  says,  "We 
have  no  means  to  discover  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures, 
but  by  historical  testimony;  it  cannot  be  discovered  by  any 
internal  evidence."  "Internal  evidence,"  he  says,  "may 
vei'ify  the  fact  of  inspiration,  but  could  never  discover  it." 
And  how,  according  to  him,  does  internal  evidence  verify 
the  fact  of  inspiration?  By  its  moral  and  spiritual  effects 
upon  the  mind.  True,  But  in  what  particular  are  these 
moral  and  spiritual  effects  distinguishable  from  those  pro- 
duced by  other  pious  writings.-*  In  none,  so  far  as  we  are 
told.  To  what  extent,  then,  are  we  to  rely  upon  tliese 
moral  and  spiritual  effects,  as  an  internal  evidence  of  the 
Divine  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures.^  The  learned  author 
thus  answers  the  question. t  "Richard  Baxter  seems  to 
have  thought  more  judiciously  on  this  subject  than  seme  of 
his  contemporaries.     For  my  part,  says  he,  I  could  never 

*  Dr.  Chalmers.  Miraculous  and  Internal  Evidences  of  the  Christian  Reve- 
lation«     Book  iv,  chap.  3. 

t  Tage  405,  vol.  ii. 


TIIEWORDOFGOD.  87 

boast  of  any  such  testimony,  or  light  of  the  Spirit,  nor  rea- 
son neither,  which,  without  human  testimony,  would  have 
made  me  believe,  that  the  Book  of  Canticles  is  canonical 
and  written  by  Solomon,  and  the  Book  of  Wisdom  apocry- 
phal and  written  by  Philo.  Nor  could  I  have  known  all  or 
ANY  historical  books  such  as  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  Samuel, 
Kings,  Chronicles,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  &c.,  to  be  written  by 
Divine  inspiration,  but  by  tradition."  When  Baxter, 
therefore,  urges  tradition,  as  the  evidence  of  Inspiration, 
what  does  Calvin  say?  Let  us  hear  Dr.  Chalmers,*  "Cal- 
vin antedated  the  matter  wrong,  when,  in  his  controversy 
with  the  learned  of  the  Church  of  Rome  in  behalf  of  the 
Scriptures,  he  made  appeal  to  that  internal  evidence  which 
is  felt  and  appreciated  by  the  unlearned;  at  the  time  when, 
fighting  his  adversaries  with  their  own  weapons,  he  should 
have  urged  the  argument  critically  and  historically.  He 
has  charged  it  as  preposterous  to  plead  this  argument  as 
distinct  from  the  internal  evidence;  but  we  should  reverse 
the  proposition,  and  call  it  preposterous,  in  this  matter,  to 
place  the  internal  before  the  external  evidence."  Now, 
what  is  the  external  evidence.^  Tradition.  Here,  then, 
we  find  it  maintained,  by  one  who  advocates  the  highest 
degree  of  Scripture  Inspiration,  that  it  is  preposterous  for 
the  Church,  as  a  public  body,  to  place  the  internal  evi- 
dence of  this  inspiration  before  the  external  evidence  of 
Tradition;  and  why?  Because,  it  is  declared  to  be  inade- 
quate to  a  discovery  of  the  divinity  of,  at  least,  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  true,  the  learned 
author  adds,  "In  the  Christianization  of  individuals,  the 
experimental  probation  is  the  only  one  resorted  to,  and  the 
only  one  realized  by  the  great  majority  of  the  household  of 
faith;"  still  no  definite  signs,  by  which  to  verify  the  fact  of 
inspiration,  are  given  us;  hence  we  cannot  help  calling  to 
mind  the  statement  of  another  distinguished  writer,  who 
observes,  "If  it  be  said,  that  pious  Protestants  have  the 
witness  in  themselves,  as  a  sure  test  to  their  own  hearts  of 
the  truth  of  Scripture,  the  fact  is  undeniable;  and  a  suffi- 
cient and  consoling  proof  is  it  to  them,  that  the  doctrines  of 
Scripture  are  true;  but  it  does  not  prove,  that  the  very 
book  we  call  the  Bible  was  written,  and  all  of  it  written, 
by  inspiration;  nor  does  it  allow  us  to  dispense  with  the 
external  evidence  of  tradition,  assuring  us  that  it  is  so." 
(Newman's  Romanism    and  Popular  Protestantism,   page 

*  Page  418. 


88  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  F 

43.)  Others,  again,  affirm  that  tradition  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  inspiration  of  Scripture,  but  is  an  evidence  only  of 
the  authenticity  and  genuineness  of  the  writings  of  which 
Scripture  is  composed.  It  is  obvious,  then,  that  there  is 
no  one  settled  princi{)le  in  the  church,  with  regard  either  to 
the  discovery,  or  the  verification  of  the  fact,  of  Divine  In- 
spiration. Now,  if  those  who  advocate  the  highest  views 
of  Scriptural  Inspiration  make  admissions  such  as  we  have 
quoted,  of  course  those  who  adopt  lower  views  of  that  In- 
spiration, and,  much  more,  those  who  adopt  the  lowest, 
cannot  be  supposed  to  consider  the  Scripture  as  invested 
with  any  higher  authority.  Indeed,  the  advocates  of  these 
respective  systems  seem  to  regard  each  other  as  destroying 
the  Divine  authority  of  Scripture,  while  intending  to  uphold 
it.  What  is  the  consequence?  the  whole  subject  is  con- 
verted into  one  mass  of  confusion.  The  term  Inspiration, 
and  the  expression  IVonl  of  God,  are  used  in  scarcely  any 
definite  sense;  the  very  canon  of  Scripture  itself  is  called 
into  question;  and  even  with  regard  to  those  books  which 
are  admitted  to  be  inspired  and  canonical,  there  is  no  end 
to  the  diversity  of  interpretations.  Thus,  in  regard  to  the 
canon  of  Scripture,  it  is  observed  by  a  modern  writer*  of 
110  inferior  repute,  but  who,  I  believe,  is  not  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  England, — "Next  in  point  of  importance 
and  interest  to  the  fact,  that  the  sacred  writers  were  in- 
spired, are  the  questions,  What  are  those  books,  on  behalf 
of  which  the  claim  of  Divine  Inspiration  is  advanced?  And 
what  is  (he  evidence  on  which  we  believe,  that  a  certain 
specific  number  are  exclusively  entitled  to  this  distinction? 
It  is  notorious  that  nothing  like  unanimity  respecting  these 
points  prevails.  Not  only  have  they  been  keenly  agitated 
among  theologians  of  difierent  periods;  but  collections  of 
books,  differing  more  or  less  in  point  of  size  and  number, 
yet  all  comprehended  under  the  general  name  of  the  Holy 
Bible,  have  obtained  in  several  of  the  churches  in  Chris- 
tendom. The  Scriptures,  as  generally  received  by  us, 
differ  from  those  in  accredited  circulation  among  the  Lu- 
therans; the  books  to  which  inspiration  is  ascribed  by  that 
body,  are  not  numerically  the  same  with  those  for  which  it 
is  claimed  by  the  Roman  Catholics.  The  catalogues  of 
sacred  writings  sanctioned  in  the  Romish  and  Greek 
churches,  also,  differ  from  each  other;  while  the  Armenian 
Bible   contains   more   books   than   are  to  be  found  in  any 

^  Dr.  Hendeison  on  Divine  Inspiration,  Lecture  ix,  page  449. 


THEWORDOFGOD.  89 

other.  With  respect,  indeed,  to  the  books  which  are  com- 
monly circulated  in  this  empire  as  Divine,  and  which 
accord  with  those  composing  the  Hebrew  Bible  and  the 
Greek  New  Testament,  there  exists  no  disagreement  in 
the  creeds  of  the  different  churches.  In  all  and  each  of 
these  creeds,  the  claims  of  the  whole  Scripture,  to  the 
extent  in  which  it  is  approved  by  us,  are  unhesitatingly 
admitted.  But,  most  of  the  foreign  churches  have  append- 
ed to  them,  intermixed  with  them,  or  sanctioned  by  promot- 
ing their  joint  circulation,  other  books  or  portions,  which 
possess  no  claim  to  inspiration.  On  the  other  handy  the  de- 
mands made  on  our  religious  regard,  by  some  of  the  books  of 
the  Old  and  JYew  Testament,  have  been  called  in  question, 
both  in  ancient  and  modern  times.'' 

With  regard,  again,  to  the  interpretation  of  Scripture, 
Bishop  Marsh,  in  his  first  Lecture  upon  this  subject,  having 
observed  that  Tradition  was  the  acknowledged  rule  of  faith, 
guiding  the  Roman  Church  in  its  Interpretations,  adds, 
that  when  the  early  Reformers  abandoned  the  guidance  of 
Tradition,  they  supplied  its  place  by  "Reason  and  Learn- 
ing." What  Reason  and  Learning  have  done  for  the 
Scriptures,  we  have  been  told  in  a  foregoing  extract  upon 
the  gradual  limitation  of  their  extent  of  inspiration.  In 
regard  to  interpretation,  however,  the  learned  prelate 
observes,  page  271,  ''l(  the  interpretation  of  Scripture 
were  easy  and  obvious,  there  would  be  little  or  no  diver- 
sity in  the  explanations,  w^iich  different  commentators  have 
given  of  the  same  passage.  But,  if  we  compare  the  Greek 
wdth  the  Latin  commentators,  we  shall  frequently  find  such 
a  variety  of  interpretation,  as  would  appear  almost  impossi- 
ble to  be  extracted  from  the  same  text.  If  we  compare  the 
Jewish  commentators,  either  with  the  Greek,  or  with  the 
Latin,  we  shall  find  as  great  a  variety,  though  a  variety  of 
a  different  kind.  If  we  compare  our  English  commenta- 
tors with  any  of  the  preceding,  we  shall  find  no  diminution 
in  the  variety  of  interpretation.  Nor  do  we  find  uniformity, 
either  among  commentators  of  the  same  language,  or  even 
among  commentators  of  the  same  church.  It  is  true,  that 
in  all  "things  relating  to  doctrine  and  discipline,  the  church 
of  Rome  preserved,  during  several  ages,  an  uniformity  of 
interpretation,  by  the  commentary  which  was  called  the 
Glossa  Ordinaria.  But  when  the  revival  of  learning  had 
opened  new  sources  of  intelligence,  and  the  Reformation 
had  restored  the  right  of  unfettered  exposition,  the  Glossa 
Ordinaria  was  exchanged  for  ?ieu' systems  of  interpretation, 
8* 


90  INTERNAL    SENSE    OF 

from  Luther  and  Melancthon,  from  Calvin  and  Beza,  from 
Grotius  and  from  Spanheim." 

With  regard  to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  maintained  by  its  uniformity  of  interpretation, 
the  learned  prelate  afterwards  observes,  page  274,  Lect. 
1,  "There  is  not  the  slightest  historical  evidence  that  the 
apostles  '  transmitted  to  posterity  any  rule  but  what  is 
recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  The  Fathers,  therefore, 
are  precisely  on  the  same  footing  with  respect  to  the 
authority  of  their  interpretations,  as  the  commentators  of 
the  present  age.  Nor,  in  fact,  are  they  uniform  in  their 
interpretations  even  in  regard  to  doctrine,  notwithstanding 
the  agreement  alleged  by  the  church  of  Rome;  though 
some  commentators  may  be  selected,  as  well  ancient  and 
modern,  which  agree  on  particular  points."' 

Now,  if  a  true  church  be  built  upon  true  doctrine;  i^ 
true  doctrine  be  built  only  upon  a  true  interpretation  of 
Scripture;  if  a  true  interpretation  of  Scripture  be  founded 
only  on  true  ideas  of  inspiration;  and  if  our  views  of  the 
inspiration  of  the  Scripture  constitute  thus  the  very  foun- 
dation of  the  church;  we  cannot  but  conclude,  when 
reflecting  upon  statements  such  as  we  have  adduced,  that 
*'the  foundations  of  the  church  are  shaken."  I  will  not 
say  whether  a  person  would  be  right  or  wrong  in  his  appli- 
cation of  the  passage;  but  when  he  meets  with  a  fact 
answering  to  a  description,  can  he  avoid  associating  the 
description  with  the  fact,  and  so,  repeating  the  words  of  the 
Scripture,  "The  sun  shall  go  down  over  the  prophets,  and 
the  day  shall  be  dark  over  them."*  (Micah,  iii,  6.) — I 
know  it  may  be  said,  differ  as  the  church  may  upon  the 
interpretation  and  doctrines  of  Scripture,  there  is  one 
thing  upon  which  all  are  agreed,  that  "without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Now  I  have  great  pleasure  in 
believing,  that  there  have  been,  and  are,  many  pious  and 

*  If,  II)  tlie  present  lelter,  I  have  not  quoted  Sriiptiire  so  much  as  some 
might  tliiiik  I  ought  to  have  done,  it  is  beraiise,  ado[)iing  a  difl'ereiit  principle 
of  inspiiation,  we  rifcessarily  adopt  a  different  mode  of  inlerpretation ;  and, 
conse<iiicnily,  consider  Sciipture  as  oficn  meaning  stmiething  very  different  from 
the  sense  in  which  it  is  commonly  nnder.-tood.  'J'hns,  for  instance,  ihev  \vho 
inainiaiii  tlie  permanency  of  the  Protestant,  or  of  wliat  fhfi/,  no  donht  conscien- 
tiousl\.  call,  the  infallible  universal  church,  parily  found  their  opinions  on  these 
words  of  our  Savior,  "Lo!  I  am  with  you  always,  even  lo  the  end  of  the 
world," — a  l/^xt  we  should  (juote  as  proving  the  end  of  tlial  which  thev  maintain 
is  not  to  come  lo  an  j-nd.  For  hv  the  end  of  ihe  world,  we  consider  to  l:e  meant 
the  end  of  llie  age  or  dispen-ation — an  inteipretaiion  whi(  h  is  actually  given  lo 
the  words  by  our  opponpiits,  when  applied  to  the  end  of  the  Jewish  dispensa- 
tion. 


¥he  word  dF  godj  91 

holy  men  in  the  Christian  community,  with  whom,  there- 
fore, so  far,  we  hold  no  controversy;  but  yet  I  believe, 
that  if  holiness  depends  upon  our  doing  the  truth,  the 
nature  of  our  actions  will  depend  upon  the  nature  of  our 
principles,  and,  consequently,  that  there  will  be  as  much 
difference  in  the  nature  of  actions,  as  there  is  in  the  nature 
of  the  principles  upon  which  we  act.  When,  therefore,  in 
addition  to  the  confusion  prevailing  in  regard  to  the  inspi- 
ration of  Scripture,  the  interpretation  of  Scripture,  and  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  we  add  also  that  which  prevails 
with  regard  to  good  works,  or  to  the  nature  of  holiness  in 
outward  life  and  conduct,  will  not  a  reflecting  person  have 
a  strong  tendency  to  call  to  mind  those  words  in  Isaiah, 
(xxxxiv,  11,)  "He  shall  stretch  out  upon  it  the  line  of  con- 
fusion."? That  the  line  of  confusion  is  stretched  upon  the 
Christian  community,  who  ever  doubted.^ 

I  have  no  wish  to  draw  a  picture  of  what  the  state  of  the 
church  either  is,  or  has  been.  More  is  offered  to  my 
acceptance  than  I  am  willing  to  avail  myself  of  I  shall 
merely  quote  the  description  given  by  a  distinguished 
member  of  the  church,  who,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  has  no 
repute,  on  that  account,  for  being  an  enthusiast.  "In 
truth,"  says  he,  "the  whole  course  of  Christianity  from 
the  first,  when  we  come  to  examine  it,  is  but  one  series  of 
troubles  and  disorders.  Every  century  is  like  every  other, 
and  to  those  who  live  in  it  seems  worse  than  all  times 
before  it.  The  church  is  ever  ailing,  and  lingers  on  in 
weakness,  'always  bearinof  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made 
manifest  in  her  body.'  Religion  seems  ever  expiring, 
schisms  dominant,  the  Uo;ht  of  Truth  dim,  its  adherents 
scattered.*  The  cause  of  Christ  is  ever  in  its  last  agony; 
as  though  it  were  but  a  question  of  time,  whether  it  fails 
finally  this  day,  or  another.  The  saints  are  ever  all  but 
failing  from  the  earth,  and  Christ  all  but  coming;  and 
thus,  the  day  of  judgment  is  literally  ever  at  hand;  and  it 
is  our  duty  ever  to  be  looking  out  for  it,  not  disappointed 
that  we  have  so  often  said,  'now  is  the  moment;'  and  that, 
at  the  last,  contrary  to  our  expectation.  Truth  has  some- 
what rallied.  Such  is  God's  will,  gathering  in  His  elect, 
first  one  and  then  another,  by  little  and  little,  in  the  inter- 
vals of  sunshine  between  storm  and  storm,  or  snatching 
them  from  the  surge  of  evil,   even  when  the  waters  rage 

*  Quod  semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ah  omnibus. 


92  I  N  T  E  R  N  A  L     S  E  N  S  E     O  F 

most  furiously.  Well  may  prophets  cry  out,  'How  long 
will  it  be,  O  Lord!  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?  how  long 
will  this  mystery  proceed?  how  long  will  this  perishing 
woi'ld  be  sustained  by  the  feeble  lights  which  struggle  for 
existence  in  its  unhealthy  atmosphere?'  God  alone  knows 
the  day  and  the  hour  when  that  will  at  length  be,  which  he 
is  ever  threatening;  meanwhile,  thus  much  of  comfort  do 
we  gain  from  what  has  been  hitherto;  not  to  despond,  not 
to  be  dismayed,  not  to  be  anxious  at  the  troubles  which 
encompass  us.  They  have  ever  been;  they  ever  shall  be; 
they  are  our  portion; — 'Tlie  floods  are  risen,  the  floods 
have  lift  up  their  voice,  the  floods  lift  up  their  waves.  The 
waves  of  the  sea  are  mighty,  and  rage  horribly,  but  yet  the 
Lord  who  dwelleth  on  high  is  mightier.'  " — (Romanism 
and  Popular  Protestantism,  by  J.  PI.  Newman,  B.  D.,  Fel- 
low of  Oriel,  conclusion.) 

If,  then,  such  be  the  state  of  things,  more  particularly 
it',  under  the  present  dispensation  of  the  church,  there  be 
no  hope  of  any  amelioration  of  her  circumstances,  may  it 
not  be  fairly  asked,  whether  there  be  any  enthusiasm  or 
fanaticism  in  supposing,  that  such  a  state  of  the  church 
cannot  be  a  matter  of  indifference  to  Him  who  first  founded 
the  church;  that  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  would  have  pre- 
vented these  evils,  had  it  been  consistent  with  man's  free 
agency;  that,  if  He  could  not  have  prevented  them.  He 
would  provide  a  remedy  for  them?  We  have  no  reason  to 
think  that  human  tradition,  or  human  reason,  or  human 
learning,  will,  of  themselves,  do  more  for  the  church  than 
they  have  already  done.  Tradition  has  tried  its  iron  yoke, 
and  the  result  is — the  lowest  bondage.  Reason  and  learning 
have  set  the  faculties  free,  and  the  result  is — confusion. 
Is  there  so  far,  then,  no  a  priori  argument  in  favor  of  an 
additional  revelation?  Many,  both  in  the  Established 
Church  and  out  of  it,  who  know  nothing  of  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg,  and  whose  general  orthodoxy  would  not  be 
doubted  by  their  respective  followers,  have  thought  that 
some  additional  revelation  is  requisite;  nay,  that  in  the 
Scriptures  it  is  a'ctually  promised. 

But  it  is  said  by  some,  though  reason  has  failed,  why  may 
we  not  pray  to  God  to  enlighten  it  ?  He  has  promised  to 
do  so,  if  we  faithfully  ask  him;  and,  in  this  case,  v/hat  is 
the  use  of  a  further  revelation?  Suppose,  however,  it 
should  happen  that  this  revelation  should  be  the  very  source 
from  which  our  reason  was  designed  to  be  enlightened! 
Nay,  it  is  replied,   God's  design  is  to  leave  the  reasoning 


TIIEVVORDOFGOD.  93 

faculties  free,  and  a  revelation  interferes  with  their  free- 
dom. I  answer,  Why  should  we  presume  this?  Even  if  it 
were  true,  shall  we  be  content  to  live  in  moral  darkness, 
in  order  that  our  reasoning  faculties  may  be  left  free?  But 
we  do  not  admit  the  truth  of  the  objection;  for  may  not 
revelation  enable  us  the  better  to  exercise  our  rational 
powers,  instead  of  necessarily  superseding  them?  Are  not 
the  many  excellent  observations  in  the  Essays  a  proof,  that 
revelation,  instead  of  destroying  reason,  may  streiigthen  it, 
and  afibrd  it  a  more  ample  scope  for  exercise  ?  If  it  were  an 
argument  against  another  revelation,  that  it  would  inter- 
fere with  the  exercise  of  our  rational  powers,  such  as  they 
are,  and  that  the  very  darkness  in  which  we  live  enables  us 
the  more  to  resort  to  the  free  exercise  of  reason,  then  might 
we  not  presume  that  life  and  immortality  ought  never  to 
have  been  brought  to  light?  for  that,  as  long  as  men  were 
in  the  dark  as  to  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  they  were  ena- 
bled freely  to  exercise  their  reason,  and  come  to  various 
conclusions,  or  rather  conjectures,  or  rather  doubts,  upon 
the  subject,  or,  it  might  be,  positive  denials;  but  no  matter, 
so  long  as  the  reasoning  faculties  were  left  free,  to  arrive 
at  any  rpsnlts  thoy  miglit  think  proper.  There  is,  however, 
one  point  of  view,  in  which  a  revelation  may  be  considered 
as  interfering  with  the  free  exercise  of  reason ;  for  in  hu- 
man reason,  unregenerated,  there  is  a  root  of  self-hood,  the 
destruction  of  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  destruction  of  all 
freedom  of  the  rational  facuUies.  With  such  a  reason, 
revelation  doubtless  comes  into  collision.  Even  what  such 
a  reason  admits  to  be  true,  it  nevertheless  rejects,  if  the 
discovery  of  the  truth  was  not  its  own.  Hence,  what  vain 
speculations  will  it  not  pursue  with  avidity,  if  they  are  but 
its  own  offspring! — what  divine  wisdom  will  it  not  reject,  if 
it  comes  not  in  the  form  of  its  own  self-intelligence! 

Supposing,  then,  a  revelation  to  be  made,  in  what  is  it 
reasonable  to  presume  that  it  would  consist  ?  Most  persons, 
probably,  will  agree,  that  the  Word  of  God  is  sufficient  to 
guide  man  in  the  way  of  salvation,  provided  there  be  a  right 
understanding  of  that  Word.  What,  therefore,  is  it  more 
reasonable  to  presume,  than  that,  if  a  revelation  should  be 
made,  it  would  consist  in  communicating  a  better  know- 
ledge of  that  Word  ?*     It  is  obvious,  however,  that  if  a  right 

*  Tlie  views  of  the  nature  of  the  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  have  been  fre- 
quently so  low,  and  the  auihority  of  traciilion  has  been  so  much  exalteil,  that  it 
is  very  questionable  whether  many  of  the  Protestant  Church,  in  the  present  day, 
will  not  refuse  assent  to  this  position.     If  the  Scriptures  are  such  as  many  CQH-; 


94  I  NTERN  AL    SENSE     OP 

knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God  depend  upon  right  views  of 
inspiration  and  right  principles  of  interpretation,  the  reve- 
lation would  consist,  either  of  some  new  principles  relating 
to  these  subjects,  or  some  improvement  of  the  old  princi- 
ples. In  this  case,  the  newness  of  the  interpretations  given 
to  Scripture,  and  their  opposition  to  the  doctrines  popular- 
ly received,  so  far  from  being  an  argument  against  their 
being  a  divine  revelation,  is  only  what,  in  such  a  case, 
might  be  reasonably  expected;  for  if  the  revelation  alleged 
to  be  made,  with  the  view  of  introducing  unity  into  the 
church,  resolved  itself  only  into  principles  which  had  al- 
ready brought  confusion,  then,  however  the  more  disposed 
some  persons  might  be  to  receive  it  on  this  account,  there 
would  be  good  reason  for  the  conclusion,  that  it  was  of  a 
non-practical  character,  or,  rather,  that  it  was  helping  to 
increase  the  mischief  it  was  intended  to  remove.  Now 
Swedenborg  has  shewn,  how  all  the  evils  which  have  origi- 
nated in  the  church,  have  arisen  from  its  tendency  to  mere- 
ly natural  and  carnal  principles;  how  these  principles  have 
produced,  not  only  contradictory  interpretations  of  Scrip- 
ture, but  untrue  and  degraded  views  of  the  nature  of  Divine 
Inspiration  itself;  and  we  appeal  to  fact,  in  confirmation  of 
what  he  has  stated, 

Many  authors,  perhaps  even  most,  consider  that  the  In- 
spiration of  the  Word  of  God  consists  in  the  divine  influ- 
ence exercised  upon  the  minds  of  the  writers;  whereas, 
Swedenborg  considers  that,  however  conjoined,  they  are 
two  distinct  things.  One  consequence  of  the  former  view 
is,  that  where  the  writer  is  acquainted  with  the  historical 
farts  he  records  from  his  own  personal  observation,  or  the 
testimony  of  others,  he  is  considered  to  be  in  no  need  of  in- 
spiration to  enable  him  to  record  them;  hence,  that  those 
parts  of  Scripture,  the  writing  of  which  may  be  accounted 
for  upon  this  principle,  are  virtually  without  inspiration; 
while  other  divines,  who  are  justly  alarmed  for  the  authori- 
ty of  Scripture  when  placed  upon  this  basis,  claim  for  the 
sacred  writers,  indiscriminately,  a  degree  of  supernatural 
influence  which  their  opponents  rightly  argue  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  maintain.  Hence  the  necessity  under  which  they 
labor,  in  settling  the  authority  of  Scripture,  of  resorting  to 

sicker  them  to  be,  they  are  not  worth  any  further  revelation;  they  arc  hut  as  a 
cancile  in  the  temple,  which  has  almost  burnt  to  the  .socket,  and  "whose  light  is 
on  the  verge  of  becoming  extinct.  No  wonder  that  such  persons  should  smile 
at  the  idea  of  an  inward  and  spiritual  sense,  capable  of  being  derived  from  iheir 
contents. 


TIIEWORDOFGOD.  95 

tradition,  or  external  evidence,  where  they  are  so  wholly 
at  variance  on  the  subject  of  any  other.  Now  we  humbly 
submit,  that  these  disputes  originate*  from  the  error,  of  con- 
founding the  inspiration  of  the  writer  with  the  inspiration  of 
the  thing  written;  of  mistaking  the  inspiration  of  the  Word 
of  God,  for  the  inspiration  of  the  penmen  who  recorded  it. 
The  two  questions  we  believe  to  be  wholly  distinct.  If  we 
say  the  Word  of  God  is  inspired,  we  say  what  we  mean; 
that  the  thing  written  is  inspired,  independently  of  the  mind 
of  the  penman  who  wrote  it.  And  in  what  does  the  inspi- 
ration of  this  Word  consist? — In  what  can  it  consist,  but  in 
the  Divine  Wisdom  it  contains,  which  alone  giveth  spiritual 
life?  ''The  words  which  I  speak  unto  you,"  saith  our 
Savior,  "  they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life."  Here  is  the 
real  principle  of  their  inspiration.  It  is  the  revelation  of 
this  Divine  Wisdom  that  is  truly  the  second  coming  of  the 
Word.  In  the  first  coming,  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us  in  person;  in  his  second  coming,  he  dwell- 
eth  among  us  in  spirit;  and  this  second  coming  in  power 
and  great  glory,  though  within  clouds,  is  the  great  and 
final  day  in  which,  as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  the 
Word  of  God  goeth  forth,  conquering  and  to  conquer.! 

*  A  bare  enumeration  of  the  theories  of  inspiration  would,  perhaps,  occupy  a 
volume.  The  various  aspects  under  which  it  is  viewed,  are  as  different  as  the 
various  theories.  A  few  writers,  indeed,  appear  to  include  in  their  definition 
of  inspiration,  the  truths  it  conveys;  hut  still  these  truths  they  often  consider  as 
identical  with  correctly  stated  historical  fads,  dates,  and  so  forth ;  in  fine,  with 
the  lowest  species  of  truth  in  the  merely  natural  mind.  Ordinary  providential 
circuinstances,  oriental  imagery,  the  use  of  hyperboles,  and  an  almost  unbounded 
license  of  the  natural  imaginat'ion,  are  also  included  under  the  comprehensive 
term  of  inspiration  ;  not  to  mention  that  the  expression  Word  of  God  is  fre- 
quently used  by  writers  in  a  sense  so  lax,  that  it  is  not  alvyays  easy  to  deter- 
mine its  meaning ;  and  in  many  cases,  where  its  meaning  is  determinable,  it 
obviously  implies  nothing  more  than,  the  word  of  man,  considered  as  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Divine  Word. 

t  In  the  Evidence  of  Christianity,  by  the  pious  and  excellent  author,  the 
present  Bishop  of  Chester,  Mhere  lie  is'speaking  of  the  first  establishment  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  the  ;mtecef!ent  probability  that  it  would  he  authenti- 
cated by  divine  miraculous  interposition,  I  find,  in  chap.  10,  page  321,  the  fol- 
lowing note.—"  'I'he  cases  of  successful  imposture  or  enthusiasm  which  some- 
times astonish  us,  are  no  exception  to  this  argument.  Such  persons  as  Sweden- 
borg  and  Southcote  do  not  introduce  a  new  religion,  1  ut  stand  forward  as  in- 
terpreters of  a  religion  before  established  on  very  difierent  grounds ;  and  because 
that  is  believed,  they  are  listened  to.  If  the  religion  were  not  already  believed, 
these  persons  would  gain  no  attention.  The  apostles  raised  Christianity  out  of 
nothing,  and  against  every  thing."  Now  I  would  respectfully  observe,  that  where 
persons  see  in  the  dark,  olijecis  the  most  dissimilar  caimot  be  discriminated  one 
from  the  other;  not  however  to  pursue  this  subject,  it  may  be  added,  that  in 
this  note  there  appears  to  be  a  triple  error.  First,  The  Internal  Sense  of  the 
Holy  Word,  as  revealed  to  Swedenborg,  is  absolutely  the  opening  of  a  new  dis- 


96  I  N  T  E  R  x\  A  L    S  E  X  S  E    O  F 

The  written  Word,  therefore,  does  not  derive  its  inspira- 
tion from  the  writer,  but  from  the  Living  Word  Himself. 
This  is  the  principle  upon  which  we  consider  the  canon  of 
vScripture  to  be  settled,  independently  of  any  authority  of  tra- 
dition. This  is  the  principle  upon  which  we  steer  perfectly 
clear  of  all  the  controversies  upon  the  subject  in  the  pres- 
ent day.  This  principle  also  furnishes  us  with  a  key  to  in- 
terpretation, and  this  key  is  analogy  or  correspondence, 
which  is  a  distinct,  definite,  and  tangible  method,  by  which 
to  determine,  upon  internal  evidence,  the  Divine  Inspiration 
of  every  part  of  the  Word  of  God.  We  maintain,  then, 
the  genuine  books  of  Scripture  to  be  the  written  Word, 
even  as  the  Divine  Humanity  of  the  Lord  is  the  living 
Word;  the  consequence  is,  we  believe  the  written  Word 
of  God  to  be  as  far  above  all  other  books,  as  the  Divine 
Humanity  of  the  Lord  to  be  above  the  humanity  of  any  cre- 
ated being.  This  Word  is  the  foundation  of  the  church  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  the  rock  upon  which  it  is  built,  against 
which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail. 

Supposing,  then,  a  revelation  to  be  made,  of  the  kind  we 
have  here  described,  we  may  presume  that  it  would  be  one 
which  must  have  a  direct  relation  to  the  improvement  of  our 
life  and  conduct.  Here,  however,  I  am  met  by  the  objection, 
that  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  have  little  or  no  intelligi- 
ble reference  to  practice.  Why  have  they  not?  I  may  ask. 
Because  practice,  in  general,  has  little  or  no  intelligible 
reference  to  them.  For  practice,  we  would  observe,  is  of 
two  kinds;  the  one  relating  to  the  mind,  the  other  relating 
to  the  body;  the  one  relating  to  the  formation  of  right 
principles;  the  other  to  the  performance  of  right  actions. 
It  is  a  maxim  with  Swedenborg,  that  no  man  can  perform 
a  right  action  except  upon  right  principles;  and  hence,  that 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  practice,  that  right  principles 

pensation ;  h  dispensation  as  diflerent  fif  m  the  former,  as  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation was  different  from  tiie  Jewish.  Secondly,  it  is  not  al\va\s  believed,  be- 
cause Christianity  is  aheady  beheved,  but  not  unfrcquentlv  because  the  corrup- 
tions of  Christianity  are  such  as  to  have  begun  to  produce  infidelity;  and  hence, 
it  has  been  the  glory  of  the  New  Dispensation  to  reclaim  many,  not  who  pre- 
viously believed  in  the  received  doctrines  of  Christianilv,  but  who  did  not  be- 
lieve in  them  at  all.  Thirdly,  with  all  due  deference  Twould  submit,  that  the 
apostles  did  not  raise  Christianity  out  of  nothing,  though  against  every  thing; 
for  the  Old  Testament  is  the  Gospel  as  nmch  as  the  New,  and  of  this  Gospel 
the  Jews  were  in  possession.  The  difl'erence  between  the  coming  of  the  Word 
in  person,  and  his  coming  in  spirit,  is,  that,  in  the  latter  case,  tlie  evidence  of 
his  mission  is, — not  miraculous,  but  moral;  and  is  to  be  seen  and  felt  in  the  en- 
lire  regeneration  of  our  nature,  as  produced  by  the  power  of— Trutli.  "These 
signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe,"  &c.  &c."&c. 


THEWORDOFGOD.  97 

should  be  first  laid  down.  His  writings,  therefore,  maybe 
said  to  form  a  book  of  principles;  principles  which  relate 
to  a  practice  that  is  not,  and  which,  in  this  sense,  are  un- 
doubtedly not  practical ;  although  they  relate  to  a  practice 
which  ought  to  be,  and  are,  in  this  sense,  most  highly  prac- 
tical. If  the  practice  existing  in  the  present  day  be  right, 
then,  certainly,  inasmuch  as  the  works  of  Swedenborg  do 
not  assist  us  in  this  practice,  they  are  not  to  be  consider- 
ed practical.  To  a  man  of  the  world,  that  only  is  practical 
which  enables  him  to  practise  the  ways  of  the  world;  and 
any  thing  which  will  not  bear  upon  tliis  practice,  is  to 
him  not  practical;  for,  with  him,  the  only  criterion  of  what  is 
practical,  is  that  which  is  generally  practised, — quod  semper, 
quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus;  and  if  any  thing  be  told  him 
which  in  itself  is  right,  but  which  is  not  generally  practised, 
he  immediately  receives  as  speculative.  Now,  it  is  admit- 
ted, that  the  principles  of  Swedenborg  relate  to  that  which  is 
not  practised  by  the  church,  the  reason  of  which  we  have 
already  seen;  for  the  two  things  to  which  the  internal  sense 
of  the  Word  refers,  as  interpreted  by  Swedenborg,  are  the 
glorification  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  and  the  regeneration 
of  the  soul,  the  former  being  the  archetype  of  the  latter. 
Now,  the  Divine  Humanity  of  the  Lord,  as  we  have  seen, 
is  denied;  hence  the  regeneration  of  the  soul,  astounded 
upon  that  doctrine,  is  also  denied;  and  the  process  by 
which,  under  any  circumstances,  regeneration  is  effected, 
is  declared  to  be  an  inscrutable  mystery.  Whether  Swe- 
denborg's  principles  are  true  or  not,  is  here  the  question;  I 
only  say,  that  it  is  very  natural  to  consider  a  work  which 
treats  entirely  of  what  is  either  denied,  or  is  unknown  as 
having  little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to  practice;  and 
this,  I  think,  will  be  seen  to  be  the  true  reason  for  which  it 
is  considered  to  be  non-practical.  What  is  more  unintelli- 
gible to  a  great  portion  of  mankind  than  a  spiritual  life? 
and,  consequently,  what  appears  to  them  less  practical,  and 
more  unintelligible,  than  the  truths  which  relate  to  it? 
Should  any  one  attempt  to  describe  that  of  which  another 
could  as  yet  form  no  idea,  would  not  the  description  appear  to 
him  to  be  obscure  or  unintelligible,  and  its  import  non- 
practical?  Yet  spiritual  life  is  the  sole  subject  of  Sweden- 
borg's  writings,  and  surely  it  has  its  laws,  its  distinct 
stages,  as  well  as  natural  life;  but  who  has  hitherto  ven- 
tured clearly  to  point  them  out?  If  spiritual  life  be  the  life 
of  the  will  and  understanding,  if  it  be  thus  a  voluntary  and 
intellectual  life;  it  must  be  a  life  which  is  willed  and  under- 
9 


98  INTERNALSENSEOP 

stood.  It  must  be  understood,  in  order  to  be  willed;  for  no 
one  can  will  to  do  that  of  which  he  knows  and  understands 
nothing.  Yet,  I  ask  it  with  all  possible  deference  and  sub- 
mission, what  does  the  church  know  concerning  the  states 
and  stages  of  spiritual  life.^  Is  not  the  subject  avowed  to 
be  a  protbund  mystery.?  How,  then,  can  we  say  of  an  au- 
thor who  attempts  to  unfold  this  mystery  of  godliness,  naj, 
who  has,  as  I  may  presume  until  it  is  disproved,  unfolded 
it,  however  unintelligible  it  may  appear  to  some,  that  there 
is  nothing  practical  in  his  principles,  or  nothing  peculiar  in 
his  views  of  practice .''  It  will  be  granted  that  the  know- 
ledge of  the  laws  of  the  human  mind  is  a  practical  know- 
ledge; else  why  do  we  read  and  recommend  the  writings 
of  various  authors  upon  the  subject?  Now,  what  these  au- 
thors have  attempted  with  regard  to  the  natural  faculties 
of  the  mind,  Swedenborg  has  effected  with  regard  to  the 
spiritual;  and  not  only  with  regard  to  the  spiritual,  but 
with  regard  to  the  natural  also.  Is  it  a  useful  and  practi- 
cal undertaking  to  unfold  the  laws  of  the  natural  mind;  and 
shall  an  attempt,  at  least  to  unfold  the  laws  of  the  spiritual 
mind,  have,  necessarily,  little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to 
practice?  Is  man,  in  the  cultivation  of  his  natural  facul- 
ties, to  be  guided  by  the  strictest  rules;  and  the  moment  he 
enters  upon  the  cultivation  of  his  spiritual  faculties,  to  be 
abandoned  to  his  feelings,  or  left  to  adventure?  Have  nat- 
ural things  their  laws,  and  spiritual  things  none?  Is  it 
nothing  to  unfold  the  nature  of  heavenly  affections  and 
thoughts,  to  mark  our  progress  in  the  spiritual  life,  and 
thus  to  walk  with  our  eyes  open  on  the  road  that  leads  to 
the  New  Jerusalem?  Had  the  subjects  of  which  Swedenborg 
treats  been  well  understood,  there  would  have  been  little 
or  no  occasion  for  his  works;  since  they  would  be  only  the 
republication  of  what  was  previously  kno^vai.  But  may  not 
the  very  circumstance  of  these  subjects  not  being  under- 
stood, or  being  conceived  as  having  little  or  no  intelligible 
reference  to  practice,  tend  to  shoAv  only  how  loud  was  the 
call  for  his  works;  since  truths  the  most  practical,  nay,  of 
the  most  awful  importance,  had  come  to  be  considered  as 
wholly  unintelligible,  or  having  little  or  no  relation  to  man's 
life  or  conduct? 

Allow  me,  then,  most  respectfully  to  submit,  that  a  brief 
but  fair  answer  has  been  given  to  the  objections  to  the  sys- 
tem of  Swedenborg,*  so  far  as  relates  to  the  particular  part  of 

*  It  b  to  be  observed,  that  I  omit  the  subject  of  conjugal  love,  which  is  one 
treated  of  by  Swedenborg  in  a  manner  so  different  from  that  in  which  it  has  been 


THEWORDOFGOD.  99 

it  under  discussion.  I  will,  therefore,  conclude  this  portion 
of  the  argument  with  a  few  extracts  from  his  writings,  illustra- 
tive of  those  principles  we  have  been  considering;  and  show- 
ing how  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  as  explained  by  him, 
may,  indeed,  to  some,  be  unintelligible,  how  it  may  become 
intelligible,  and  what  is  its  peculiar  relation  to  practice. 

"They  who  deny  any  thing,  as  they  who  deny  the  inter- 
nal sense  of  the  Word,  when  they  dispute  or  contend,  must 
needs  dispute  or  contend  about  the  existence  of  such  a  thing. 
It  is  well  known,  that  several  disputes  at  this  day  go  no 
farther  than  this.  But  so  long  as  men  remain  in  debate 
whether  a  thing  exist,  and  whether  it  be  so,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  make  any  advance  into  any  thing  of  wisdom;  for  in 
the  very  thing  which  is  the  subject  ofdebate,  there  are  innu- 
merable particulars,  which  cannot  be  seen,  so  long  as  the 
thing  itself  is  not  acknowledged ;  inasmuch  as  all  and  sin- 
gular the  things  appertaining  thereto,  are  in  such  case  un- 
known. Modern  erudition  scarce  advances  beyond  these 
limits  ofdebate,  viz.  whether  a  thing  exist,  and  whether  it 
be  so;  and,  of  consequence,  there  is  an  exclusion  from  the 
intelligence  of  truth.  As,  for  example,  he  who  merely  con- 
tends whether  there  exists  an  internal  sense  of  the  Word, 
cannot  possibly  see  the  innumerable,  yea,  indefinite  things 
which  are  contained  in  the  internal  sense.  Again,  he  who 
disputes  whether  charity  be  any  thing  in  the  church,  and 
whether  or  no  the  things  of  faith  be  not  the  all  thereof,  can- 
not possibly  know  the  innumerable,  yea,  the  indefinite,  things 
which  are  contained  in  charity;  but  remains  altogether  in 
ignorance  of  what  charity  is.  The  case  is  the  same  with 
regard  to  a  lite  after  death,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
the  last  judgment,  the  existence  of  heaven  and  hell.  They 
who  only  dispute  whether  such  things  exist,  stand  out  of 
the  doors  of  wisdom  so  long  as  they  dispute,  and  are  like 
persons  who  only  knock  at  the  door,  and  cannot  even  look 
into  the  magnificent  palaces  of  wisdom;  and,  what  is  sur- 
prising, people  of  this  description  fancy  themselves  wise  in 
comparison  v.ith  others,  and  so  much  the  wiser  in  propor- 
tion to  their  greater  skill  in  debating  whether  a  thing  be  so, 
and  especially  in  confirming  themselves  that  it  is  not  so; 
when  yet  the  simple,  who  are  principled  in  good,  and  whom 
such  disputants  despise,  can  perceive  in  a  moment,  without 
any  dispute,  much  more  without  learned  controversy,  both 

generally  viewed,  that,  had  I  attempted  to  impart  a  just  idea  of  it,  this  letter 
must  have  extended  to  double  its  length.  Were  the  principles  he  advocates 
upon  this  subject  alone,  carried  into  eftect,  they  would  produce  an  entire  revolu* 
tion  in  the  conduct,  motives,  and  moral  sentiments  of  society. 


100  INTERNAL    SENSE    OF 

the  existence  of  the  thing,  and  also  its  nature  and  quality. 
These  latter  have  a  common  or  general  sense  of  the  per- 
ception of  truth;  whereas  the  former  have  extinguished  this 
sense,  by  such  things  as  incline  them  first  to  determine 
whether  the  thing  exists.  The  Lord  speaks  both  of  the 
former  and  of  the  latter,  when  he  says,  'I  thank  thee,  O 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  intelligent,  and  revealed  them 
unto  babes. ' 

"  10,551.  They  who  are  in  illustration,  when  they  read 
the  Word,  see  it  from  within;  for  their  internal  is  open, 
and  the  internal,  when  open,  is  the  light  of  heaven.  This 
light  flows  in  and  enlightens,  although  man  is  ignorant  of 
it.  The  reason  why  he  is  ignorant  of  it,  is,  because  that 
light  flows  in  into  the  knowledges  which  are  in  man's  memo- 
ry, and  those  knowledges  are  in  natural  light;  and  whereas 
man  thinks  from  those  knowledges  as  from  himself,  he 
cannot  apperceive  the  influx;  nevertheless,  he  may  know, 
from  various  proofs,  that  he  was  in  illustration.  Howbeit, 
every  one  is  deceived  who  believes  himself  to  be  in  illustra- 
tion, if  he  doth  not  love  to  know  truth  for  the  sake  of  truth, 
and  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  life,  thus,  who  doth  not 
love  Divine  Truth  for  the  sake  of  life;  since  to  live  ac- 
cording to  Divine  Truths  from  the  Word,  is  to  love  the 
Lord;  and  from  the  Lord,  when  he  is  loved,  comes  all  illus- 
tration. But  they  who  have  not  for  an  end  a  life  ac- 
cording to  Divine  Truths  from  the  Word,  but  regard 
honor,  gain  and  reputation,  as  ends,  and  thus  the  Di- 
vine Truths  from  the  Word  as  means,  cannot,  in  any 
wise,  be  in  any  illustration;  for  this  latter  end  is  worldly 
and  corporeal,  and  not  spiritual  and  celestial,  and  on  this 
account  it  closes  the  internal  man;  in  which  case,  no  light 
can  flow  in  from  heaven  and  illustrate.  If  these  believe  that 
they  are  in  illustration  when  they  read  the  Word,  they  are 
altogether  deceived;  for  they  do  not  think  from  heaven,  but 
from  the  world;  thus,  not  from  the  Lord,  but  from  them- 
selves; and  so  far  as  they  think  from  themselves  and  from 
the  world,  so  far  they  think  from  natural  light  separate 
from  heavenly  light;  and  natural  light  separate  from  heav- 
enly light,  is  mere  thick  darkness  in  things  spiritual.  In 
case  these  persuade  themselves  that  they  have  seen  any 
thing  from  illustration,  it  is  a  fallacy;  for  they  perceive 
whether  a  thing  be  true,  from  no  other  source  than  from 
others  by  confirmations;  which  is  to  see  truth  from  with- 
out and  not  from  within,  or  to  see  it  from  persuasive  faith. 
Persons  of  such  a  character  may  see  what  is  false  as  what 


T  II  E     W  0  R  D     O  F     G  O  D  .  1 01 

is  true,  and  what  is  true  as  what  is  false;  also,  what  is  evil 
as  what  is  good,  and  what  is  good  as  what  is  evil.  .  .  .  The 
man  whose  internal  is  open,  perceives  the  Word  spirit- 
ually; but  this  he  is  ignorant  of  whilst  he  lives  in  the 
world;  because  his  spiritual  thought  flows  in  into  the  natu- 
ral in  the  external  man,  and  there  presents  itself  to  be 
seen.  Nevertheless,  that  interior  thought  is  what  illus- 
trates, and  by  which  is  effected  influx  from  the  Lord. 
Some  of  the  learned,  also,  by  looking  into  their  own 
thoughts,  and,  by  reflection  on  the  occasion,  have  observed, 
that  there  is  given  with  man  interior  thought  which  doth 
not  appear;  wherefore  the  ideas  of  that  thought  they  have 
called  immaterial  and  intellectual,  which  they  have  distin- 
guished from  the  ideas  of  exterior  thought  which  appear, 
calling  these  latter  natural  and  material.  But  they  knew 
not,  that  the  ideas  of  interior  thought  are  spiritual,  and  that 
when  they  flow  down,  they  are  turned  into  natural,  and 
appear  under  another  species  and  under  another  habit. 
From  these  considerations  it  may,  in  some  measure,  be 
manifest,  in  what  manner  influx  is  eflected,  by  which  is 
illustration." 

'^5398.  They  who  are  of  the  church  at  this  day,  are  so 
little  acquainted  with  any  thing  respecting  regeneration, 
that  it  can  scarcely  be  called  any  acquaintance  at  all.  They 
do  not  even  know  this,  that  regeneration  continues  through 
the  whole  course  of  the  life  of  him  who  is  regenerated,  and 
that  it  is  continued  in  the  other  life;  also,  that  the  arcana 
of  regeneration  are  so  innumerable,  that  scarcely  the  ten 
thousandth  part  of  them  can  be  kno^v^n  to  the  angels;  and 
that  those  which  the  angels  know,  are  the  things  which 
constitute  their  intelligence  and  wisdom.  The  reason  why 
they  who  are  of  the  church  at  this  day  know  so  little  con- 
cerning regeneration,  is,  because  they  speak  so  much  con- 
cerning the  remission  of  sins  and  concerning  justification; 
and  because  they  believe  that  sins  are  remitted  in  an  in- 
stant; and  some,  that  they  are  wiped  away  as  filth  from 
the  body  by  water;  and  that  man  is  justified  by  faith  alone, 
or  by  the  confidence  of  one  moment.  The  reason  why  the 
men"  of  the  church  believe  thus,  is,  because  they  do  not 
knov/ v/hat  sin  or  evil  is;  for  had  they  known  this,  they 
v/ould  know  that  sins  cannot  be  wiped  away  from  any  one; 
but  that  they  are  separated  or  cast  aside,  to  prevent  their 
rising  up  when  man  is  kept  in  good  by  the  Lord.  Also, 
that  this  cannot  be  effected,  unless  evil  be  continually  cast 
.o-ut,  and  this  by  means  which  are  in  number  indefinite,  and 
9* 


102  INTERNAL    SENSE    OF 

for  the  most  part  ineffable.  They  in  the  other  life,  who 
have  carried  with  them  the  foregoing  opinion,  that  man  is 
justified  in  an  instant  by  faith,  and  is  washed  altogether  clean 
from  sin,  when  they  apperceive  that  regeneration  is  effect- 
ed by  means  indefinite  in  number  and  ineffable,  are  amazed 
and  laugh  at  their  ignorance,  which  they  also  call  insanity, 
concerning  the  instantaneous  remission  of  sins,  and  con- 
cerning justification,  which  they  held  in  the  world.  They 
are  occasionally  informed,  that  the  Lord  remitteth  sins  to 
every  one  who  from  his  heart  desires  it;  nevertheless, 
they  to  whom  sins  are  so  remitted,  are  not,  on  that  ac- 
count, separated  from  the  diabolical  crew,  to  whi^h  they 
are  close  tied  by  evils;  which  evils  follow  the  life  which  all 
carry  along  with  them.  They  learn  afterwards  from  expe- 
rience, that  to  be  separated  from  the  hells  is  to  be  separated 
from  sins,  and  that  this  cannot  in  any  wise  be  effected,  ex- 
cept by  a  thousand  and  a  thousand  means  known  to  the 
Lord  alone,  and  this  by  continual  succession,  if  you  are 
willing  to  believe  it,  to  eternity;  for  man  is  so  great  evil, 
that  he  cannot  be  fully  delivered  even  from  one  sin  to  eternity, 
but  can  only,  by  the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  if  he  hath  received 
it,  be  withheld  from  sin  and  kept  in  good." 

"  5115.  When  man  is  in  the  act  of  being  re-born,  spirit- 
ual life  flows  in  into  him,  as  life  by  heat  from  the  sun  into 
a  tree,  when  it  is  in  the  act  of  budding.  He  who  is  born  a 
man,  is,  in  the  Word  throughout,  compared  to  the  subjects 
of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  especially  to  trees;  and  this,  be- 
cause the  whole  vegetable  kingdom,  as  also  the  animal 
kingdom,  represents  such  things  as  appertain  to  man,  con- 
sequently, such  as  are  in  the  Lord's  kingdom;  for  man  is  a 
heaven  in  the  least  form.  .  .  .  Hence,  also,  the  ancients 
called  man  a  microcosm:  they  might  have  called  him,  like- 
wise, a  little  heaven,  if  they  had  been  better  acquainted  with 
the  state  of  heaven.  .  .  .  Man  who  is  born  anew,  that  is,  who 
is  regenerated  by  the  Lord,  is  especially  called  a  heaven; 
for,  in  this  case,  he  is  implanted  in  good  and  truth  divine, 
which  is  from  the  Lord ;  consequently,  he  is  implanted  in 
heaven.  For  the  man  who  is  re-born,  in  like  manner  as  a 
tree,  begins  from  seed  (wherefore  by  seed,  in  the  Word,  is 
signified  the  truth  which  is  from  good:)  also,  in  like  manner 
as  a  tree,  he  produceth  leaves,  next  blossoms,  and,  finally, 
fruit;  for  he  produces  such  things  as  are  of  intelligence, 
which  also  in  the  Word  are  signified  by  leaves;  next,  such 
things  as  are  of  wisdom,  which  are  signified  by  blossoms; 
and,  finally,  such  things  as  are  of  life,  viz:  the  goods  of 
love  and  charity  in  act,  which  in  the  Word  are  signified  by 


T  II  E     W  O  R  D    O  F     G  O  D  .  103 

fruits.  Such  is  the  representative  similitude  between  the 
fruit-bearing  tree,  and  the  man  who  is  regenerated;  inso- 
much that  from  a  tree  may  be  learnt  how  the  case  is  with 
regeneration,  if  so  be  any  thing  be  previously  known  con- 
cerning spiritual  good  and  truth." 

"  5116.  The  cause  and  ground  of  the  existence  of  such 
things  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  are  from  the  influx  of  the 
spiritual  world.  But  this  cannot  at  all  be  believed  by  those 
who  attribute  all  things  to  nature,  and  nothing  to  the  Divine 
(being  or  principle;)  whereas,  to  those  who  attribute  all 
things  to  the  Divine  (being  or  principle)  and  nothing  to  na- 
ture, it  is  given  to  see,  not  only  that  every  particular  thing 
in  nature  is  from  that  source,  but  also  that  it  corresponds, 
and,  in  consequence  of  corresponding,  represents;  and, 
finally,  it  is  given  them  to  see,  that  universal  nature  is  a 
theatre  representative  of  the  Lord's  kingdom;  thus,  that  the 
Divine  (being  or  principle)  is  in  each  particular  thing 
thereof;  insomuch,  that  it  is  also  a  representation  of  The 
Eternal  and  the  Infinite — of  The  Eternal,  from  propagation 
to  eternity;  of  The  Infinite,  from  a  multiplication  of  seeds  to 
infinity.  Such  tendencies  could  never  have  existed  in  the 
respective  subjects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  unless  the  Di- 
vine (being  or  principle)  continually  flowed  in;  for  from  in- 
flux comes  conatus;  from  conatus,  energy;  and  from  ener- 
gy, effect.  They  who  attribute  all  things  to  nature  say, 
that  such  things  were  implanted  in  fruits  and  seeds  in  the 
first  creation,  and  that,  in  consequence  of  the  energy 
thence  received,  they  are  afterwards  moved  of  themselves 
to  such  operation;  but  they  do  not  consider,  that  subsist- 
ence is  perpetual  existence,  or,  what  is  a  similar  thing, 
that  propagation  is  perpetual  creation  ;  neither  do  they 
consider,  that  effect  is  the  continuation  of  cause,  and  that 
when  the  cause  ceases,  the  effect  ceases;  and  hence,  that 
every  effect  without  a  continual  influx  of  the  cause  instantly 
perishes.  Nor  yet  do  they  consider,  that  what  is  uncon- 
nected with  the  first  of  all  principles,  consequently  with 
the  Divine  (being  or  principle,)  in  an  instant  falls  into  noth- 
ing; for  what  is  prior  must  be  in  what  is  posterior,  in 
order  that  what  is  posterior  may  have  being.  If  they  who 
attribute  all  things  to  nature,  and  to  the  Divine  (being  or 
principle,)  so  little  as  scarcely  to  amount  to  any  thing,  con- 
sidered these  things,  they  might  be  enabled  also  to  acknow- 
ledge, that  all  and  singular  the  thing's  in  nature  represent 
such  things  as  are  in  the  spiritual  world;  consequently, 
such  as  are  in  the  Lord's  kingdom,  where  the  Divine  (prin- 
ciple) of  the  Lord  is  proximately  represented.     This  is  the 


104  INTERNAL    SENSE    OP 

reason  for  which  it  was  said,  that  there  is  an  influx  from  the 
spiritual  world;    but   thereby   is    meant,   that  the    influx   is 
through  the  spiritual  world  from  the  Lord's  Divine  (princi- 
ple.)    The  reason  why  natural   men    do  not    consider  such 
things  is,    because   they   are   not    willing    to    acknowledge 
them;   for  they  are  in  terrestrial  and  corporeal  things,  and 
hence  in  the  life  of  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world,  con- 
sequently, in  an  inverted  order  with  respect  to  those  things 
which  are  of  the  spiritual  world  or  heaven;    and  to  see  such 
things  from  an  inverted  state  is  impossible;  for  they  see  the 
things   which   are   below   as   things  above,    and  the  things 
which   are   above  as  things  below.  Sec.  .  .  .  Who  amongst 
them    is  there,  who,  whilst  he  sees  blossoms  on  a  tree  and 
on  other  plants,  considers  that  it   is,  as  it  were,  the  mani- 
festation of  their  gladness,  in   consequence  of  producing, 
on  that   occasion,    fruits  or  seeds?     They  see  that  flowers 
precede,   and   are   continued   even  till  they  have  the   ini- 
tiaments   of  fruit   or   seed   into  their   bosom,    and  thereby 
drain  oflMheir  juice  thereinto;  if  they  knew  any  thing  con- 
cerning the  re-birth  or  regeneration  of  man,   or  rather,  if 
they  were  willing  to  know,   from  similitude  they  would  also 
see  in  those  flowers  a  representative  of  the  state  of  man  be- 
fore regeneration,    viz.    that   man   at  that  time  blossoms  in 
like  manner  trom  the  good  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,  that 
is,  is  in  interior  gladness  and  in  beauty;   because,  in  such 
case,  he  is  in  the  endeavor  to  implant  those  things,  viz.  the 
goods  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,    into  the  life,  that  is,  to 
produce  fruits.     That  the  state  is  of  such  a  sort,  cannot  be 
knovv'n  by  them;    because  what  the  interior  gladness  is,  and 
what  the   interior  beauty  which  are   represented,  is  not  at 
all  knovv-n  by  those  who   are   only  in  the  gladnesses  of  the 
love  of  the  world,    and  in  the  delights  of  self-love.     Those 
gladnesses   and   deliohts   cause   the  above  things  to  appear 
gladless   and  undelightful,  insomuch  that  they  hold  them  in 
aversion;   and  when  they  hold  them  in  aversion,  they  also 
reject  them  as  somewhat    ofiensive,  or  as    somewhat  of  no 
value;  consequently  they  deny  them,  and  at  the  same  time, 
in  this  case,  deny  that  there  is  any  such  thing  as  a    spirit- 
ual    and  celestial   principle.     Hence   now    comes  the   in- 
sanity of  the  present  age,  which  is  believed  to  be  wisdom." 
"10,^25.      Man,  when  he    attains   to  the    age  of  twenty 
years,    begins  to  think   from   himself;   for   man,  from  first 
infancy  to  extreme   old  age,  undergoes   several  states  as  to 
his  interiors,  which  are  of  intelligence  and  wisdom.     The 
first  state  is  from  nativity  to  the  fifth  year  of  his  age;  this 


THE    WORD     OF    GOD.  105 

state  is  a  state  of  ignorance,  and  of  innocence  in  ignorance, 
and  is  called  infancy.  The  second  state  is  from  the  fifth 
year  of  age  even  to  the  twentieth;  this  state  is  a  state  of 
instruction  and  of  science,  and  is  called  boyhood.  The 
third  state  is  from  the  twentieth  year  of  age  to  the  sixtieth; 
which  state  is  a  state  of  intelligence,  and  is  called  adoles- 
cence, youth,  and  manhood.  The  fourth  or  last  state  is 
from  the  sixtieth  year  of  age  and  upwards;  which  state  is 
a  state  of  wisdom,  and  of  innocence  in  wisdom,  &c.  That 
the  first  state  is  a  state  of  ignorance,  and  also  of  innocence 
in  ignorance,  is  evident.  During  the  continuance  of  this 
state,  the  interiors  are  forming  to  use,  consequently  are 
not  manifested,  but  only  the  most  external,  which  are  of  the 
sensual  man.  When  these  alone  are  manifested,  there  is 
ignorance;  for  whatsoever  man  understands  and  perceives, 
is  from  the  interiors.  Hence  also  it  may  be  manifest,  that 
the  innocence  which  exists  at  that  time,  and  is  called  the 
innocence  of  infancy,  is  innocence  the  most  external.  That 
the  second  state  is  a  state  of  instruction  and  of  science,  is 
also  evident;  this  state  is  not  yet  a  state  of  intelligence, 
because  the  child  at  that  time  doth  not  form  any  conclu- 
sions from  himself,  neither  doth  he  discern  between  truths 
and  truths,  nor  even  between  truths  and  falses,  from  him- 
self, but  from  others;  he  only  thinks  and  speaks  things  of 
the  memory,  thus  from  science  alone;  nor  doth  he  see  and 
perceive  whether  a  thing  be  so,  except  on  the  authority  of 
his  master,  consequently,  because  another  hath  so  said. 
But  the  third  state  is  called  a  state  of  intelligence,  since  at 
this  time  man  thinks  from  himself,  and  discerns,  and  con- 
cludes; and  what  he  then  concludes,  is  his  own,  and  not 
another's:  at  this  time  faith  commences;  for  faith  is  not 
the  faith  of  the  man  himself,  until,  from  the  ideas  of  his  own 
proper  thought,  he  hath  confirmed  what  he  believes;  pre- 
vious to  this  time,  faith  is  not  his,  but  another's  in  himself; 
for  he  believed  the  person,  not  the  thing.  Hence  it  may 
be  manifest,  that  a  state  of  intelligence  then  commences 
with  man,  when  he  no  longer  thinks  from  a  master,  but 
from  himself;  which  efl^ect  hath  not  place  until  the  interi- 
ors are  open  towards  heaven.  It  is  to  be  noted,  that  the 
exteriors  appertaining  to  man  are  in  the  world,  and  the 
interiors  in  heaven;  and  that  in  proportion  to  the  quantity 
of  light  which  flows  in  from  heaven  into  those  things  which 
are  from  the  world,  in  the  same  proportion  man  is  intelli- 
gent and  wise;  this  is  effected  in  the  degree,  and  according 
to  the  quality,  in  which  the  interiors  are  opened;  and  they 


1  06  I  ^'  T  E  R  N  A  L    S  E  N  S  E    O  F 

are  so  far  opened  as  man  lives  for  heaven,  and  not  for  the 
world.  But  the  last  state  is  a  state  of  wisdom  and  of  inno- 
cence in  wisdom,  which  is,  when  man  has  no  longer  any 
concern  about  understanding  truths  and  goods,  but  about 
willing  them  and  living  them,  for  this  it  is  to  be  wise;  and 
man  is  enabled  to  will  truths  and  goods,  and  to  live  them, 
so  far  as  he  is  in  innocence,  that  is,  so  far  as  he  believes 
that  he  hath  nothing  of  wisdom  from  himself,  but  that  what- 
ever relish  he  hath  of  wisdom  is  from  the  Lord;  also,  so 
far  as  he  loves  it  to  be  so;  hence  it  is,  that  this  state,  also, 
is  a  state  of  innocence  in  wisdom.  From  the  succession  of 
these  states,  the  man  who  is  wise  may  also  see  the  wonder- 
ful things  of  Divine  Providence,  which  are  these;  that  a 
prior  state  is  the  plane  of  those  which  continually  follow; 
and  that  the  opening  or  unfolding  of  the  interiors  proceeds 
from  outermost  things,  even  to  inmost  things  successively; 
and  at  length  in  such  a  sort,  that  what  was  first  but  in 
things  outermost,  this  also  is  last  but  in  things  inmost,  viz. 
ignorance  and  innocence;  for  he  who  knows  that  of  him- 
self he  is  ignorant  of  all  things,  and  that  whatsoever  he 
knows  is  from  the  Lord,  he  is  in  the  ignorance  pertaining 
to  wisdom,  and  also  in  the  innocence  pertaining  to  wis- 
dom." 

"4136.  Man  knoweth  not  how  goods  are  varied  with 
him,  still  less  how  the  state  of  every  good  is  changed;  not 
even  how  the  good  of  infancy  is  varied  and  changed  into 
the  good  of  cliildhood,  and  this  into  the  succeeding  good 
which  is  that  of  youth;  afterwards  into  the  good  of  adult 
age,  and  lastly  into  the  good  of  old  age.  With  those  who 
are  not  regenerated,  they  are  not  goods  which  are  chang- 
ed, but  affections  and  their  delights;  whereas  with  those 
who  are  regenerated,  there  are  changes  of  the  state  of 
goods,  and  this  from  infancy  even  to  the  last  period  of  their 
life;  for  it  is  foreseen  of  the  Lord  what  kind  of  life  man 
is  about  to  lead,  and  how  he  will  suffer  himself  to  be  led  6f 
the  Lord;  and  inasmuch  as  all  and  singular  things,  yea, 
most  singular,  are  foreseen,  they  are  also  provided  for; 
but  how  the  case  is  on  such  occasion  with  changes  of  the 
state  of  good,  man  knoweth  nothing,  and  this,  principally, 
by  reason  that  he  hath  no  knowledges  of  such  a  thing,* 

*  In  the  original,  two  tlifierent  words  are  used,  scicntia  and  cognitio.  I  have 
used  the  common  transhition,  which  does  not  give  the  difference  between  the 
two.  It  might  be  rendered  thus:  With  regard  to  the  changes  of  thcatate  of  good 
on  such  occasion,  man  is  in  possession  of  no  science  or  information,  by  reason  that 
his  thoughts  are  not  cognizant  of  the  fact  i(self,  nor  has  he  any  desire  that  they 
should  be. 


THEWORDOFGOD.  107 

nor,  at  this  day,  desires  to  have;  and  whereas  the  Lord  doth 
not  flow  in  immediately  with  man  and  teach,  but  flows  in 
into  his  thoughts,  thus  mediately,  therefore  he  cannot  in 
any  wise  know  the  changes  of  the  states  of  those  goods:  and 
inasmuch  as  man  is  such,  viz.  is  without  knowledges  of 
this  subject,  and  moreover  there  are  few  at  this  day  who 
sufler  themselves  to  be  regenerated,  therefore  if  these 
things  were  explained  more  fully,  they  could  not  be  com- 
prehended." 

4096.  With  regard  to  the  reciprocal  application  of  the 
affections  of  truth  to  good,  "these  things  are  such  that 
they  do  not  fall  into  any  but  an  instructed  understanding, 
and  one  which  perceives  a  delight  in  the  science  of  such 
things,  consequently,  Avhich  hath  for  an  end  spiritual 
knowledges.  Others  have  no  concern  about  such  things, 
and  are  not  able  to  stretch  the  mind  to  the  consideration  of 
them;  for  they  who  have  worldly  and  terrestrial  things  for 
an  end,  cannot  withdraw  the  senses  thence;  and  if  they  did 
withdraw  them,  they  would  perceive  what  is  undelightful; 
for,  in  such  case,  they  would  depart  and  remove  them- 
selves from  those  things  which  they  have  for  an  end,  that 
is,  which  they  love.  Let  every  one,  who  is  of  such  a 
quality,  make  the  experiment  with  himself,  whether  he  be 
willing  to  know  how  good  adjoineth  itself  to  the  affections 
of  truth,  and  how  the  affections  of  truth  apply  themselves; 
whether  or  not  it  is  not  irksome  to  him  to  know  this;  and 
whether  he  will  not  say,  that  such  considerations  are  of  no 
profit  to  him,  and  also  that  he  apprehends  nothing  about 
them.  But  if  such  things  are  told  him  as  relate  to  his  busi- 
ness in  the  world,  howsoever  deep  and  hidden  they  may 
be,  and  what  is  the  quality  of  such  and  such  a  person  as  to 
his  affections,  also  how  by  those  affections  he  may  adjoin 
him  to  himself,  by  applying  himself  to  his  intentions  and  ex- 
pressions: this  he  not  only  apprehends,  but  has  also  a  per- 
ception of  the  interior  things  thereof.  In  like  manner,  he 
who  studies  from  affection  to  investigate  the  abstruse  prin- 
ciples of  the  sciences,  loves  to  look  into,  and  also  does  look 
into,  subjects  of  a  more  intricate  nature  than  what  are  here 
treated  of;  but  when  spiritual  good  and  truth  are  treated 
of,  he  feels  it  irksome,  and  also  holds  it  in  aversion.  These 
observations  are  made,  in  order  to  shew  what  is  the  quality 
of  the  men  of  the  church  at  this  day."* 

*  These  quotations  are  taken  from  the  English  translation,  wl)ich  I  have  cop- 
ied just  as  it  is,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  verbal  alterations. 


108  INTERCOURSE    AV  IT  H 

Here,  my  Lord,  1  bring  to  a  close  my  extracts  from  the 
Arcana  Coelestia,  and,  with  these,  my  observations  on  the 
Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  of  God,  as  unfolded  by  Swe- 
denborg.  That  these  observations  will  be  satisfactory,  nay, 
that  they  will  occasion  any  serious  reflection  in  the  minds 
of  some  of  my  readers,  is  more  than  I  have  reason  to  antici- 
pate. I  know  too  well  the  force  of  prejudice,  the  determi- 
nation of  our  opponents,  in  general,  that  we  shall  be  wrong 
at  any  rate.  Do  we  teach  the  plainer  precepts  of  the  Gos- 
pel? What  folly  to  inculcate,  as  part  of  a  new  revelation, 
what  every  one  knew  before!  Do  we  unfold  the  more 
inward  and  spiritual  truths  of  the  Gospel?  We  are  teach- 
ing what  is  unintelligible  and  speculative;  whereas,  the 
Word  of  God  is  plain  and  practical !  Do  we  shew  the  rea- 
sonableness of  our  views  of  Christian  doctrine?  It  is  pre- 
sumption to  introduce  reason  into  divine  mysteries,  or  to 
attempt  to  explain  them  without  an  express  revelation! 
Do  we  plead  the  fact  of  a  revelation?  The  very  supposi- 
tion of  such  a  thing  implies  the  greatest  folly  and  fanati- 
cism! Do  we  inculcate  doctrines  which  are  old?  How 
absurd  to  teach  it  as  part  of  what  presumes  to  be  new! 
Do  we  teach  what  is  new  ?  for  that  very  reason  it  must  be 
false!  Do  we.  like  the  householder,  bring  out  of  our 
treasure  things  old  and  new?  We  are,  on  this  account, 
doubly  deluded;  for  what  is  new  cannot  be  true,  and  what 
is  old  cannot  be  new!  Verily,  may  we  say,  "Whereunto 
shall  we  liken  the  men  of  this  generation,  and  to  what  are 
they  like?  They  are  like  children  sitting  in  the  market- 
place, and  calling  one  to  another,  and  saying,  We  have 
piped  unto  you  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we  have  mourned 
to  you,  and  ye  have  not  wept. — But  wisdom  is  justified  of 
all  her  children!"     (Luke  vii,  31.) 

I  now  come  to  consider  the  subject  of  Intercourse  with 
THE  Spiritual  World;  and  in  so  doing,  my  object  will  be 
to  shew  the  peculiarly  practical  nature  of  the  information 
communicated  by  Swedenborg  under  this  particular. 

On  this,  however,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  it  will  be 
desirable  to  make  a  few  antecedent  observations;  for,  as 
the  Essays  have  urged  certain  a  priori  arguments  against 
further  knowledge  upon  this  subject,  it  will  be  well  first  to 
meet  these  objections,  and  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  there 
be  any  a  priori  argument  in  its  favor;  as  also  to  clear  away 
some  of  the  clouds  in  which  the  subject  has  been  envelop- 
ed. The  first  objection  is,  that  this  kind  of  knowledge  is 
calculated  only  to  gratify  curiosity.     The  second,  that  it  is 


THE    SPIRITUAL     WORLD,  109 

forbidden,  and  that  aiming  to  acquire  it  is  presumption. 
The  third,  that,  were  it  useful,  God  would  long  since  have 
revealed  it.  The  fourth,  that  it  leaves  no  room  tor  the  exer- 
cise of  faith;  and  the  fifth,  that  no  other  revelation  is  to  be 
expected,  beside  the  one  we  already  possess. 

The  first  objection  is,  that  the  knowledge  thus  communi- 
cated is  calculated  only  to  gratify  curiosity. 

This  objection  applies  not  merely  to  the  visions  of  Swe- 
denborg,  but  to  any  further  information  whatever  respecting 
another  world,  beyond  that  which  is  generally  supposed  to 
be  possessed;  and,  undoubtedly,  if,  in  the  case  ojf  any  indi- 
vidual, information  of  this  kind  serves  only  to  gratify  his 
curiosity,  and  to  indulge  in  him  a  prying  and  inquisitive 
spirit,  he  is  better  without  such  a  knowledge  than  with  it. 
We  read  in  the  Acts,  that  "  all  the  Athenians  and  stran- 
gers at  Athens  spent  their  time  in  nothing  else,  but  either 
to  tell  or  to  hear  some  new  thing;"  and  hence,  when  St. 
Paul  was  at  Athens,  they  were  curious  to  know  what  new 
thing  it  was  which  he  had  to  tell  them.  "And  some  said, 
What  will  this  babbler  say.^  others,  He  seemeth  to  be  a 
setter  forth  of  strange  gods.  May  we  know  what  this  new 
doctrine,  whereof  thou  speakest,  is."*  for  thou  bringest  cer- 
tain strange  things  to  our  ears;  we  would  therefore  know 
\vhat  these  things  mean."  The  philosophers,  it  appears, 
were  curious  to  know  what  new  thing  St.  Paul  had  to  tell 
them;  but  if  their  motive  was  mere  curiosity,  whose  fault 
was  this? — the  fault  of  St.  Paul,  or  of  the  philosophers.'' 
Upon  the  principles  urged  against  the  writings  of  Sweden- 
borg,  any  one  might  have  adduced  a  prima  facie  evidence 
against  the  truth  of  what  the  apostle  had  to  preach,  by 
stating,  "You  are  going  to  gratify  our  curiosity,  but  Divine 
Wisdom  does  not  gratify  our  curiosity;  so  that  what  you 
are  going  to  say  cannot  be  Divine  Wisdom."  Surely, 
a  person  may  listen  to  what  is  true  and  practical,  as  well 
as  to  what  is  false  and  visionary,  out  of  motives  of 
mere  curiosity;  yet  his  motives,  whatever  they  may  be, 
are  no  argument  against  the  truth  of  what  he  may  hear; 
if  they  were,  we  may  as  well  argue  against  the  visions 
recorded  in  Scripture,  and,  indeed,  against  every  part  of 
the  Bible,  because  a  person  may  examine  them  from 
wrong  motives.  The  Essays,  however,  observe,  (page 
242,)  that  Scripture  sometimes  excites  curiosity,  but  does 
not  gratify  it.  Now,  I  humbly  conceive  that,  in  the  mind 
of  a  good  man,  it  excites  no  curiosity;  and  for  this  reason, 
that  he  has  no  mere  curiosity  to  be  excited.  For  by  curi- 
10 


110  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

osity,  I  understand  the  Essays  to  mean,  a  desire  of  knowl- 
edge merely  for  its  own  sake, — a  jjrijing  and  inquisitive 
spirit.  But  a  truly  good  man  has  no  such  spirit,  either  to 
be  gratified  or  excited;  and  therefore  I  cannot  say  of  him, 
that  Scripture  is  calculated  to  excite  his  curiosity.  A  de- 
sire of  Divine  knowledge  is  not  mere  curiosity.  It  may 
appear  so  to  those  who  have  no  other  motive  to  urge  them 
to  the  attainment  of  this  knowledge ;  and  if  theij  made  the 
attempt,  possibly  curiosity  alone  might  induce  them  to  do 
so;  but  would  they  be  justified  in  attributing  to  others  the 
wrono-  motives  by  which  they  themselves  were  actuated? 
Many  are  too  apt  to  judge  of  others  by  themselves;  and  a 
man's  self-love  will  easily  induce  him  to  think  that  others 
cannot  be  actuated  by  higher  motives  than  himself. 

But  the  Essays  observe,  not  only  that  what  Swedenborg 
has  stated  with  regard  to  the  other  world  is  "food  for  curi- 
osity," but  that  "his  foUoAvers  insist  much  on  the  impor- 
tance of  believing  this  pretended  revelation." — If  by  "pre- 
tended revelation,"  be  here  meant  Swedenborg's  narra- 
tives with  regard  to  the  other  world,  I  can  only  say  that, 
the  revelation  which  we  believe  it  most  important  for  man- 
kind to  receive,  is  that  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Holy 
Word;  and  the  reason  why  we  do  so  is,  because,  as  we 
have  seen,  it  treats  of  the  regeneration  of  the  human  heart. 
Comparatively  with  this  revelation,  we  consider  that  which 
relates  to  Heaven  and  Hell  to  be  of  secondary  importance. 
I  am  persuaded  that  a  very  ordinary  attention  to  the  sub- 
ject will  convince  any  impartial  reader,  that,  so  far  from  the 
receivers  of  Swedenborg's  principles  insisting  on  a  belief 
in  his  revelations  with  regard  to  the  other  Avorld,  as  the 
point  of  main  importance,  they,  on  the  contrary,  may  be 
found  complaining  of  these  assertions  on  the  part  of  their 
opponents  as  unfair;  as  one  of  the  many  instances  of  mis- 
representation of  their  views;  and  as  a  ready,  though  not 
a  safe,  refuge  from  the  force  of  their  arguments. 

Again,  the  reader  of  the  Essays,  judging  solely  from 
what  is  there  stated  with  regard  to  Swedenborg  and  those 
who  receive  his  principles,  would  be  led  to  conclude,  that 
Swedenborg's  alleged  revelations,  with  regard  to  the  other 
world,  were  highly  gratifying  to  curiosity;  and,  as  such, 
were  insisted  upon  by  his  followers,  with  a  view  to  allure 
converts. 

Allow  me,  however,  to  say,  that  if  Swedenborg  ever 
wrote,  or  if  his  followers  ever  circulated,  these  narratives, 
merely  with  a  view  to  allure  converts,  they  must  have  con- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  Ill 

tradicted  their  own  principles;  for  it  is  a  maxim  with  Swe- 
denborg,  that  a  man  is  not  reformed  by  seeing  visions,  nor 
merely  by  believing  in  them;  and  that  faith  founded  upon 
mere  external  evidence,  is  not  genuine.*  A  man  who 
receives  the  doctrines  of  Swedenborg,  merely  because  he 
believes  in  the  reality  of  Swedenborg's  intercourse  with  the 
other  world,  is  not  a  genuine  receiver  of  them:  the  very 
idea  of  considering  him  such  we  should  esteem  absurd. 
Besides,  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose,  that  either  Swedenborg, 
or  the  receivers  of  his  writings,  consider  his  narratives 
calculated  to  allure  converts.  Generally  speaking,  the 
reverse  is  the  fact.  Indeed,  we  learn  from  the  biography 
of  Swedenborg,  that  when  he  published  these  narratives, 
he  was  perfectly  aware  of  their  being  calculated  rather  to 
repel  than  allure;  and  there  is  reason  to  believe,  that  some 
of  them,  at  least,  were  designed  to  operate  upon  the  minds 
of  many,  in  this  manner.  A  contemporary  of  Swedenborg, 
Count  Hopken,  (who  for  many  years  was  Prime  Minister 
to  the  King  of  Sweden,  and  personally  acquainted  with 
Swedenborg,)  in  one  of  his  letters  to  General  Tuxen, 
observes: — -(New  Jerusalem  Magazine,  page  269) — "Swe- 
denborg might,  with  or  without  reason  (which  I  do  not 
indeed  venture  to  determine.)  be  accused  of  having  given 
a  heated  imagination  too  free  play  in  his  revelations;  but, 
for  my  own  part,  I  have  nothing  on  which  I  could  found 
this  criticism.  Whether  or  not  our  Lord,  in  our  times, 
grants  to  particular  persons  particular  revelations,  what  is 
the  nature  of  such  revelations,  and  what  ihe  criierion  for 
dislino-uishing  the  genuine  from  the  false, — of  all  this  I  have 
no  solid  grounds  forjudging.  And  if,  according  to  human 
notions,  we  were  to  compare  the  revelations  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse with  those  of  Swedenborg,  I  know  not  to  which  of 
the  two  classes  the  preference  would  be  given.  ...  I  once 
represented  to  this  venerable  man,  in  rather  a  serious 
manner,  that  he  would  do  best  not  to  mix  his  beautiful 
writings  with  so  many  revelations,  of  which  ignorance 
makes  a  jest  and  derision.  But  he  answered  me,  that  this 
did  not  depend  on  him;  that  he  ivas  too  old  to  sport  with  spir- 

*  111  order  that  tlie  reader  may  understand  the  de.^sign  of  this  argument,  it 
should  be  remembered,  that  alleged  visions  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  as 
some  writers  inform  >ip,  were  the  gronnd  on  which  certain  doctrines  or  ecclesi- 
astical regulations  were  enforced;  so  that  if  any  one  doubted  the  truth  of  the 
one  or  the  propriety  of  the  other,  it  was  declared  to  be  placed  beyond  all  dis- 
pute, by  some  pretended  vision.  However  questionable  either  might  be,  the 
vision  settled  the  matter, 


112  1^,-TERCOL'IlSE     WITH 

itual  things,  and  too  much  concerned  for  his  eternal  happiness, 
to  s;ive  into  such  foolish  notions;  assurino-  ^ne,  on  his  hopes  of 
salvation,  that  no  imagination  produced  in  him  his  revelations, 
which  icere  true,  and  from  ichat  he  had  heard  and  seen.'' 
The  writer  then  proceeds  to  deplore  the  obstacles  which 
would  be  presented  by  the  Memorable  Relations,  and  states 
the  dithculties  he  had  felt  in  his  own  mhid  upon  the  sub- 
ject; while  he  acknov»ledges  the  delight  he  experienced  in 
the  perusal  of  other  parts  of  Swedenborg's  works.  In 
another  letter,  (No.  5,)  to  the  same  person,  the  same 
writer  observes,  speaking  of  a  foreign  clergyman,  "He 
was  by  no  means  a  Swedenborgian,  for  he  did  not  under- 
stand his  revelations;  and  I  could  wish  the  happy  deceased, 
(Swedenborg)  had  left  them  out;  since  they  may  prevent 
infidelity  from  approaching  towards  his  doctrines,  and  they 
make  enthusiasts  and  visionaries  of  the  credulous.  I  rep- 
resented to  him  these  inconveniences;  but  (he  replied)  he 
was  commanded  to  declare  what  he  had  seen  in  the  other 
world;  and  he  related  it  as  proofs,  that  he  did  not  reveal 
his  own  thoughts,  but  that  they  came  fi-om  above."  By 
this  I  understand,  that  Swedenborg  was  aware  of  the  ob- 
stacle which  would  be  presented  by  his  narratives,  to  the 
progress  of  his  principles;  that,  as  such,  in  all  human 
judgment,  it  might  be  better  to  withhold  them;  and  that 
the  fact  of  his  not  doing  so,  might  be  considered  as  some 
indication  that  he  was  acting  in  obedience  to  a  higher  com- 
mand. 

Though  himself  convinced  that  his  Relations  were  not 
calculated  to  suit  the  popular  taste,  and,  as  such,  to  allure 
converts,  he  was  nevertheless  aware,  that  some  would  con- 
sider him  as  publishing  them  for  this  purpose.  (Arcana 
Coelestia,  n.  68.)  "1  am  well  aware,"  says  he,  "of  the 
objections  which  will  here  be  urged  by  a  variety  of  per- 
sons. Some  will  insist  that  it  is  a  thing  impossible  for  any 
one  to  converse  with  spirits  and  angels,  during  his  life  in 
the  body;  others,  that  such  intercourse  must  be  mere  fancy 
and  illusion;  others,  that  I  have  invented  such  relations 
in  order  to  gain  credit;  whilst  others  will  indulge  doubts 
and  scruples  of  different  sorts.  All  these  objections,  how- 
ever, are  of  no  weight  with  me.  For  I  have  seen,  have 
heard,  and  have  had  sensible  experience  of  what  I  am 
about  to  declare." — In  another  place,  (Arcana  Ccelestia, 
n.  1880,)  alluding  to  the  circumstance  of  his  communicat- 
ing to  others  what  he  had  seen  and  heard,  he  observes, 
"This,  however,  I  was  forbidden  to  do,  and  for  this  among 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  113 

Other  reasons;  that  they  would  have  said,  I  was  out  of  my 
senses;  or  would  have  thought  that  what  I  told  them  was 
the  invention  of  a  delirious  imagination." — We  may  indeed 
observe,  that  various  objections,  which  he  anticipated 
would  be  brought  against  the  Memorable  Relations,  are 
stated  in  various  parts  of  his  writings,  with  greater  force 
and  clearness  than  by  those  who  entertain  them;  nor  am  I 
aware  of  the  author  any  where  manifesting  any  particular 
desire  to  answer  them,  except  by  opening  the  mind  of  the 
reader  upon  spiritual  things,  and  then  leaving  him  to  judge 
of  the  truth  of  the  narratives,  from  their  own  internal  evi- 
dence. 

Not  only,  however,  are  many  of  the  objections  lo  the 
Memorable  Relations  anticipated  in  Swedenborg's  writings; 
but  the  Relations  themselves  appear  sometimes  designedly 
interposed  as  an  obstacle  to  prevent  all,  as  far  as  possible, 
from  entering  into  a  knowledge  of  these  writings,  who  are 
not  prepared  to  receive  them  into  their  life.  Thus,  perhaps, 
one  of  the  most  objectionable  Relations  in  the  works,  oc- 
curs immediately  after  the  following  words: — "Unless  a 
man  be  principled  in  Divine  Truths,  or  if  he  be  only  in  a 
few  truths  and  in  falses  at  the  same  time,  he  may  falsify 
truths  by  falses,  as  is  done  by  every  heretic  with  regard  to 
the  literal  sense  of  the  Word.  To  prevent,  therefore,  any 
person  from  entering  into  the  spiritual  sense,  and  pervert- 
ing genuine  truth  which  belongeth  to  that  sense,  there  are 
guards  set  by  the  Lord,  which  are  signified  in  the  Word 
by  cherubs."  With  respect,  then,  to  the  readers  of  Swe- 
denborg's writings,  so  far  from  circulating  his  narratives 
with  a  view  to  procure  converts,  they  would  expect  no  more 
success  from  giving  them  circulation,  than  any  ordinary 
Christian  would  in  making  converts,  from  circulating  an 
explanation  of  the  visions  recorded  in  Scripture:  they  are, 
in  fine,  generally  speaking,  the  last  things  from  the  circu- 
lation of  which  they  would  expect  success.  Besides,  nar- 
ratives of  the  marvellous  are  usually  addressed  to  the  igno- 
rant, to  those  who  have  neither  moral  nor  intellectual  pow- 
er sufficient  to  put  their  truth  to  the  test.  Swedenborg, 
however,  wrote  for  men  of  information;  for  the  educated, 
as  well  as  for  the  ignorant.  He  did  not  make  his  preten- 
sions before  a  superstitious  muhitude;  but  openly,  in  the 
face  of  one  of  the  courts  of  Europe,*  and  of  all  the  scien- 

*  Kant,  the  celebrated  German  philosopher,  was  a  contemporary  of  Swe- 
denborj;;  and,  hearing  of  his  reputed  supernatural  communications,  considered 
Ihe  evidence  upon  vvhicli  he  heard  them,  sufficient  to  justify  hiiu  in  writing  to 
10* 


114  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

tific  and  philosophical  persons,  to  whose  acquaintance  his 
previous    works  had  introduced  him.     An  ignorant   mind 

Swedenborf^  upon  tlie  subject.  Sweilenborg,  it  appears,  never  answered  the 
letter;  neither  did  he  answer  a  letter  upon  a  similar  subject,  addressed  to  him 
by  Lavater.  Swedcnborg's  silence,  however,  did  not  deter  Kant  from  making 
linther  inquiries,  the  result  of  which  appears  to  be  his  conviction  of  the  reality 
of  Swedcnborg's  sujjcrnatural  intercourse.  I  mention  this,  in  order  to  intro- 
duce the  following  rcniai  ks  upon  the  subject,  by  the  Editors  of  the  Intellectual 
Repository,  as  published  in  \ul.  i,  page  57,  for  the  year  1830-31 : — 

'•'  Swedcnborg's  omitting  to  answer,  by  letter,  Professor  Kant's  inquiries  of 
him,  relating  to  the  above  afiair,  may  appear  extraordinary.  J]ut  it  is  to  be 
observed,  that  he  never,  himself,  laid  any  stress  upon  these  miraculous  proofs  of 
the  truth  of  his  pretensions.  If  asked  respecting  them  by  those  who  had  heard 
them  from  others,  he  would  say  that  the  reports  were  true;  but  he  abstained 
from  writing  any  accounts  of  them;  and  never  does  he  appeal  to  them,  or  so 
much  as  mention  them,  in  his  works.  How  strong  an  evidence  is  this  of  his 
elevation  of  mind;  and  of  his  perfect  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  views  he 
■was  made  the  instrument  of  unfolding,  with  his  own  divine  appointment  to  that 
purpose,  as  standing  in  need  of  no  such  evidence  for  their  support!  Could  it  be 
possible  for  auv  of  the  merely  fanatical  pretenders  to  di\ine  communications  to 
appeal  to  such  testimonies  ol"  supernatural  endowment,  how  continually  would 
they  do  so!  how  eagerly  would  they  seek  to  silence  objectors,  by  referring  to 
the  queens,  counts,  ambassadors,  governors,  and  university  professors,  that  had 
been  witnesses  of  their  power!  But  it  is  precisely  on  account  of  the  silencing 
nature  of  such  evidence,  that  Swedenborg  declines  to  make  use  of  it.  It  is  a 
principle  in  his  theology,  that  nothing  which  externally  compels  assent  can  im- 
part an  internal  reception  of  genuine  truth,  vyhich  is  the  only  kind  of  reception 
that  can  do  tl  e  subject  of  it  any  real  good:  it  is  to  the  praise,  then,  of  his  con- 
sistency, that  he  never  adverts  to  the  external  demonstrations,  which,  under  pe- 
culiar circumstances,  he  had  occasionally  been  induced  to  give,  of  ihe  reality  of 
his  communications  \vith  the  spiritual  woild.  Yet,  this  once  established,  the 
reality  of  his  divine  conmiission  is  established  also.  To  be  able  to  have  inter- 
course  at  pleasure  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  eternal  world,  and  wi;h  any  who 
have  hence  departed  thither,  is  obviously  an  endov.menl  unattainable  by  any 
natural  means.  It  can,  then,  only  be  enjoyed  by  the  special  gift  of  the  Lord. 
But  the  Lord,  we  may  be  certain,  vvoivid  i;ot  remove  the  barrier,  which,  for  va- 
rious important  reasons,  is  established  between  the  other  world  and  this,  for 
any  merely  trivial  and  natural  purpose.  He  can  only,  then,  have  done  it  in  the 
case  of  Swedenborg,  because,  without  it,  he  could  not  have  been  qiuilified  to 
explain  the  correspondence  between  sp'ritual  things  and  natural,  which  was  ne- 
cessary to  the  development  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word;  nor  to  restore 
the  lost  knowledge  respecting  the  nature  of  the  life  after  death,  of  heaven  and 
hell:  both  which  discoveries  were  indisp-ensable  to  the  opening  of  ihe  New  Je- 
rusalem dispensation.  When,  therefore,  Swedenboig  gave  proof  that  he  en- 
joyed the  j)ower  of  free  communication  w  ith  the  spiritual  world,  he  gave  proof, 
at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  truly  received,  as  he  had  afliimed,  a  divine  com- 
mission to  promulgate  the  truths  of  this  dispensation.  Yet  he  nobly  forbore  to 
appeal  to  this  overwhelming  testimony  ;  because  he  knew  that  they  whose  minds 
were  so  closed  as  to  be  incapable  of  believing  the  truth  through  its  own  inhe- 
rent light,  could  not  be  made  to  believe  it  interiorly,  and  thus  j.ermai  ently,  by 
merely  external  demons" rations.  Doubtless,  however,  it  was  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence that  occasions  arose,  which  constrained  him  to  give  such  demonstra- 
tions, and  that  they  were  recorded  by  others  ;  because  such  things  serve  for  con- 
firmation of  the  truth,  thougli  they  arc  not  the  proper  grounds  ol  its  original  re- 
ception. When  presented  also  upon  testimony,  and  at  a  distance  of  time,  they  lose 
that  compulsive  character  which  t'ley  possess  when  they  take  place  immediatelv, 
or  nearly  so,  before  our  eyes:  and  tlius  they  may  then  become  useful  to  diaw  at- 
tention "to  the  truth,  which,  when  known,  may  convince  by  its  own  evidence." 


THE     SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  115 

could  not  possibly  understand  the  principles  upon  which  his 
Memorable  Relations  are  written.  But,  it  may  be  said, 
even  the  well  educated  may  be  credulous.  Credulous  of 
what?  Of  the  Memorable  Relations  of  Swedenborg?  Ex- 
perience, in  general,  has  proved  the  contrary.  It  is  only- 
after  a  painful  struggle  of  mind,  after  a  conviction  that  it  is 
impossible  to  resist  the  force  of  the  internal  evidence,  that 
the  readers  of  Swedenborg 's  writings  are,  in  general,  led  to 
receive  his  Relations;  so  that,  instead  of  these  Relations 
operating  at  first  as  an  evidence  in  support  of  his  views, 
these  Relations  generally  require  the  strongest  evidence  in 
support  of  them.  Besides,  credulity  and  the  gratification 
of  curiosity  go,  to  a  certain  extent,  hand  in  hand.  For  if  a 
man  were  curious  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  other  world, 
and  a  narrative  were  placed  before  him,  pretending  to  af- 
ford all  the  information  he  wanted,  but  which,  nevertheless, 
he  previously  believed  to  be  the  creation  of  a  distempered 
fancy,  it  can  scarcely  be  said  that,  in  reading  it,  his  curios- 
ity would  be  gratified.  There  is,  indeed,  a  curiosity  which 
might  be  gratified  on  such  an  occasion;  but  I  now  speak  of 
that  which  arises  out  of  a  desire  of  positive  Jiuoivledge,  and 
repeat  that,  if  a  man  were  curious  to  hioio  the  mysteries  of 
the  other  world,  no  narrative  would  satisfy  that  curiosity, 
which  he  did  not  believe  to  contain  some  degree  of  truth. 
So  far  as  he  believed  it  to  be  a  fiction,  so  far  he  would  be 
indifferent  to  its  perusal;  and,  unless  he  had  other  motives 
to  excite  him,  would  consider  it  only  lost  time  to  peruse  it. 
In  proportion,  then,  as  the  narratives  of  Swedenborg  are  ill 
adapted  to  gratify  the  credulity  of  readers  in  general,  they 
seem  equally  ill  adapted  to  gratify  their  curiosity.* 

*  It  may  be  useful,  perhaps,  liere  to  refer  the  reader  to  what  some  authors 
have  written  on  I  he  subject  of,  what  tliey  call,  a.  lazed  able  curiosity,  a  subject 
which  appears  to  be  omitted  in  the  Essays,  in  the  discussion  of  this  question. 
In  his  first  Bampton  Lecture,  Bishop  Heber  observes,  "  So  far  is  the  assertion 
incorrect,  that  a  contemplation  of  the  mysteries  of  Christianity  is  unfavorable  to 
the  Christian  character,  that,  if  it  be  more  philosophical  and  more  efhcacious  to 
furnish  motives  than  rules  for  conduct;  if  it  be  possible  to  puiify  the  passions 
by  employing  them  on  the  worthiest  objects,  and,  by  contemplation  of  the  Divine 
perfections,  to  raise  the  soul,  in  some  sort,  to  the  Deity;  no  smer  way  can  be 
found  to  improve  and  strengthen  the  spiritual  part  of  our  nature,  than  tiie  grati- 
fication of  that  natural  and  laudable  curiosity  after  things  unseen,  by  which  the 
soul  of  man,  as  if  conscious  of  her  future  destiny,  delights  to  expatiate,  so  far  as 
advance  is  possible,  in  those  boundless  fields  of  inquiry  wh  ch  are  connected 
with  the  ways  and  attributes  of  the  Almighty,  the  secrets  of  his  government, 
and  his  intercourse  with  our  intellectual  being. 

"  Snch  inc|uiries,  conducted  with  becoming  modesty,  may  be  expected  at 
once  to  elevate  and  to  humble  the  soul ;  to  elevate  her  powers  by  exercising 
them  on  the  noblest  objects;  to  humble  her  self-estimation  by  the  sense  of  those 


116  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

Far  be  it  from  me  to  affirm,  that  there  have  not  been 
some,  who  have  been  credulous  of  the  Memorable  Relations 
of  Swedenborg,  or  that  others  have  not  been  rationally  con- 
vinced of  their  truth  solely  by  their  perusal;  I  only  say, 
that,  in  general,  these  persons  form  the  exception,  not  the 
rule.  We  know  that,  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity, 
there  was  no  lack  of  credulity,  both  in  regard  to  the  work- 
ing of  miracles,  and  to  intercourse  with  another  world. 
History  supplies  us  with  lamentable  instances  of  the  fact. 
The  enthusiasm,  folly,  and  fanaticism,  to  which  alleged  su- 
pernatural privileges  gave  rise  in  those  days,  have  no  paral- 
lel in  the  history  of  the  progress  of  Swedenborg's  writings; 
but,  because  of  the  credulity  and  visionary  fancies  which 
then  prevailed,  would  a  person  be  justitied  in  arguing 
against  the  reality  of  the  visions  seen  by  the  apostles?  Be- 
cause some,  or  even  most,  alleged  visions  were  untrue, 
were  all  therefore  false?  Because  some  believers  were 
credulous,  were  there  none  sober-minded?  or  did  no  super- 
natural privileges  therefore  exist?  What  has  the  credulity, 
or  the  incredulity,  of  the  individual^  to  do  with  the  real  fact? 
Surely  the  evidence  of  a  fact  is  not  affected  by  the  belief 
or  unl3elief  of  those  to  whom  the  evidence  is  communicated. 
Where,  indeed,  the  evidence  rests  upon  the  testimony  of 
individuals,  their  credulity  or  incredulity  becomes  an  im- 
portant question;  but  where  the  facts  are  proposed  to  us 
solely  on  the  authority  of  their  own  internal  evidence,  it  is 
to  this  authority  alone  that  the  appeal  can  justly  be 
made.  "  Besides  the  objections,"  says  Bishop  Butler, 
"against  the  evidence  for  Christianity,  many  are  alleged 
against  the  scheme  of  it;  against  the  whole  manner  in  which 
it  is  put  and  left  with  the  world;  as  well  as  against  several 
j)articular  relations  in  Scripture;  objections  drawn  from  the 
deficiencies  of  revelation;  from  things  in  it  appearing  to 
men  foolishness;  from  its  containing  matters  of  offence,  ivhich 
have  led,  and  must  have  been  foreseen  would  lead,  into  strange 
enthusiasm  and  superstition,''  &c. — -Yet,  from  all  this,  what 

narrow  limits  which  must  confine  her  hardiest  flight,  by  the  comjiariEon  eter- 
nally presented  to  her  notice,  between  finite  and  infinite  wisdom. 

"  Spiiilual  pride,  indeed,  and  metaphysical  pedantry,  can  only  arise  from, 
and  are  certain  symptoms  of,  specuKitions  not  carried  snfiicicntly  far,  inquiry 
too  soon  contented.  'I'liey  who  skim  the  snrface  may  think  that  all  is  known  to 
them;  but  he  who  strives  to  sound  the  depths  of  ocean  uY.\y  receive,  it  is  iriie,  a 
rich  repayment  of  his  time  and  labor,  but  nmst  desist  at  last  with  a  feeling  very 
different  i^rom  pride.  Our  finite  successes  shrink  into  notliing  when  brought  in 
contact  with  immensity;  and  we  caimot  rejoice  that  we  have  penetrated  so  far, 
without  recognizing  the  weakness  which  has  prevented  our  prccceding  farther." 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  117 

does  the  learned  prelate  justly  conclude? — "  After  all," 
says  he,  "  that  which  is  true  must  be  admitted;  though  it 
should  show  us  the  shortness  of  our  faculties,  and  that  we 
are  in  no  wise  judges  of  many  things,  of  which  we  are  apt 
to  think  ourselves  very  competent  ones.  Nor  will  this  be 
any  objection  with  reasonable  men,"  &c.  (chap,  iii,  part  2.) 
That  Swedenborg's  visions  may  to  some  appear  to  be  at- 
tractive, is  not  denied.  It  seems,  however,  that,  whether 
atti-active  or  repulsive,  they  are  alike  objectionable:  ob- 
jectionable, because  they  are  attractive  ;  objectionable, 
because  they  are  repulsive.  If  they  are  repulsive,  "  He 
hath  a  devil  and  is  mad;  why  hear  ye  him?"  If  they  are 
attractive,  "they  gratify  curiosity  and  a  love  of  the  marvel- 
lous, being  written  only  with  a  view  to  allure  converts." 
Now  there  is  one  thino-  with  regard  to  the  attractive  narra- 
tives  of  Swedenborg,  which  is  rather  remarkable.  In  most 
of  the  cases,  if  not  in  all,  in  which  they  might  seem  to  cap- 
tivate the  imagination,  a  special  guard  against  this  evil  is 
introduced,  and  the  reader  warned  that,  if,  in  perusing 
them,  he  gives  reins  to  the  imagination,  he  is  deceiving 
himself,  and  wholly  misunderstanding  the  subject.  What 
is  more  natural  than  for  the  enthusiast  to  imagine,  that 
heaven,  as  a  paradise,  must  be  full  of  the  most  gorgeous 
paradisiacal  scenery.^ — and  how  would  his  fancy  naturally 
depict  to  itself  its  varied  pastures,  its  flowing  rivers,  and 
the  glories  of  its  celestial  inhabitants?  Here,  then,  is  the 
very  case  in  point.  On  this  subject,  Your  Grace  has  justly 
said,  the  enthusiast  would  be  sure — "to  dream  largekj.'" 
Now  what  is  the  fact?  One  of  the  longest  Memorable  Re- 
lations in  Swedenborg's  writings  is  introduced  for  the  pur- 
pose of  exposing  the  folly  of  those  ideas  of  heaven  which 
it  is  asserted  that  he  entertains;  and  on  the  faith  of  which, 
he  is  denominated  an  enthusiast.  In  introducing  quota- 
tions from  his  works  upon  this  subject,  I  trust  it  will  be  dis- 
tinctly understood,  that  I  am  not  calling  upon  the  reader 
to  believe  in  them  as  containing  genuine  facts.  He  is  at 
liberty  to  receive  or  to  reject  them,  just  as  he  pleases.  My 
present  object  in  introducing  them,  is,  not  to  prove  the  Me- 
morable Relations  to  be  true,  but  what  is  urged  against 
them  to  be  untrue;  and  I  leave  every  impartial  mind  to 
conclude,  how  far  the  successive  refutation  of  objections 
against  a  narrative,  may  be  any  indirect  evidence  in  its 
favor;  particularly,  where  those  objections  are  founded 
upon  principles,  which  are  said  to  be  the  sure  marks  of  one 
that  is  false. 


118  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

In  the  Memorable  Relation,  then,  to  which  we  have  re- 
ferred, an  angel  is  represented  as  saying,  (Conj.  Love, 
page  77,  vol.  i,)  "  Thou  knowest,  that  every  man  who  had 
desired  heaven,  and  had  formed  conceptions  in  his  mind 
about  its  happiness,  is  introduced,  after  death,  into  that  par- 
ticular happiness  which  he  had  framed  in  his  imagination; 
and  when  he  experiences  what  such  happiness  is,  that  it  is 
only  according  to  the  vain  imaginary  delusions  of  his  own 
fancy,  he  is  then  led  out  of  error  and  instructed  in  the 
truth."  And  what  is  the  truth  in  which  he  is  instructed.? 
The  truth  is  this, — (Conj.  Love,  vol.  i,  page  92,) — "Heav- 
venly  joy  and  eternal  happiness  consist  not  in  external  para- 
disiacal delights,  unless  they  are  attended  also  with  such  as 
are  internal.  External  paradisiacal  delights  reach  only  the 
senses  of  the  body,  but  such  as  are  internal  reach  the  af- 
fections of  the  soul;  and  if  the  former  be  without  the  latter, 
they  are  void  of  all  heavenly  life,  inasmuch  as  they  have 
no  soul  or  spirit  in  them;  and  every  delight,  without 
its  corresponding  soul  or  spirit,  continually  grows  more 
languid  and  faint,  fatiguing  the  mind  more  than  labor. 
There  are  in  every  part  of  heaven  paradisiacal  gardens,  in 
which  the  angels  find  much  joy;  and  so  far  as  it  is  attend- 
ed with  a  delight  of  the  soul,  so  far  the  joy  is  real  and  true. 
Hereupon  they  all  asked,  'What  is  the  delight  of  the  soul, 
and  whence  is  it  derived?'  The  angel  replied,  'The  de- 
light of  the  soul  is  the  delight  of  love  and  wisdom  proceed- 
ing from  the  Lord;  and  whereas  love  is  an  operative  prin- 
ciple, and  is  operative  by  wisdom,  therefore  they  are  both 
fixed  together  in  the  effect  of  such  operation,  which  effect 
is  use.  The  delight  arising  from  such  use  entereth  into 
the  soul  by  infiux  from  the  Lord,  and  descendeth  through 
the  superior  and  inferior  parts  of  the  mind  into  all  the  sen- 
ses of  the  body,  and  in  them  is  complete  and  full,  becom- 
ing hereby  a  true  joy,  and  partaking  of  an  eternal  nature 
from  the  eternal  fountain  whence  it  procccdeth.'  " — Again, 
in  the  Arcana  Coslcstia,  5428,  it  is  said,  "They  who  think 
of  the  glory  of  heaven  from  natural  light  not  yet  illuminated 
by  celestial  light.  .  .  .  cannot  form  any  other  idea  concern- 
ing it,  than  as  concerning  the  glory  of  the  world;  inas- 
much as,  v.hile  they  read  the  prophetic  revelations,  partic- 
ularly of  John  in  the  Apocalypse,  all  things  in  heaven  are 
described  as  being  most  magnificent;  but  when  they  are 
told  that  the  glory  of  heaven  exceeds  all  the  magnificence 
of  the  woi'ld,  insomuch  that  this  latter  can  scarce  be  com- 
pared with  it,  and  that  yet  this  is  not  the  f^'lory  of  heaven,  but 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  119 

that  the  glory  of  heaven  is  the  dimne  principle  which  beams 
forth  from  each  single  thing  ivhich  appears  there,   and  is  the 
perception  of  things  divine  and  consequent  wisdom;  that  this 
glory^  however,  is  only  for  those  in  heaven  who  mahe  no  ac- 
count of  that  magnificence  in   comparison  with  wisdom,  and 
attribute  all  wisdom  to  the  Lord,  and  none  at  all  to  themselves, 
this  glory  of  heaven,  when  it  is  vieived  by  natural  light.  .  .  . 
is  in  no  wise  acknowledged.^^     Again,    "All  things  there,  to 
every  single   object,  appear  in  their  most  beautiful  spring 
and  bloom,  with  an  astonishing  magnificence  and  variety, 
and  they  are  living  by  virtue  of  their  being  representative; 
for  there  is  nothing  but  what  represents  and  signifies  something 
celestial  and  spiritual.     Thus  the  objects  presented  to  view 
affect  not  only  the  sight  with   pleasantness,    but  the  mind 
with  happiness.      But  (with  regard  to  the  beauty  of  mere 
external  appearances)    the   angels   behold  such  things  with 
other  eyes,  not  being  delighted  with  the  paradises,  bid  ivith  the 
representatives ,  and  thus,  with  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things 
ivhich  give  them  birth,'"'  1622. — Again:   "These  things  (the 
beauty  of  the   external    objects)  are   respectively    of  small 
account;  they  who  are  principled  in  the  intelligence  itself, 
and  the  wisdom,    in  which  those  things   originate,    are  in 
such  a  state  of  happiness,   that  the  things  which  have  been 
mentioned    are    esteemed   by  them  of  but  little    importance,^^ 
4529. — Again,  after  a  description  of  some  of  the  appearan- 
ces in  heaven,   an  angel  is  represented  as  saying,   (Ibid, 
page  106,)   "  Fe  may  possibly  conceive  that  such  things  be- 
witch  our  eyes,  and  infatuate  us  by  their  grandeur,  and  that 
we  consider  them  as  constituting  the  joys  of  our  heaven;  but 
this  is  not  the  case,  inasmuch  as,  our  hearts  not  being  in  such 
things,  they  are  only  accessory  to  the  joys  of  our  hearts ;  and 
therefore,  so  far  as  we  contemplate  them  as  accessory,  and 
as  the  workmanship  of  God,  so  far  we  contemplate  in  them 
the  divine   omnipotence  and  benignity." — Again,  in  anoth- 
er part  it  is  said,  (Ibid,  page  108,)  "At  the  sight  of  all  these 
things,  the  companions  of  the    angels  exclaimed,    '  Behold 
heaven  in  form  !     Wheresoever   we  turn  our  eyes,  we  are 
struck  with  an  influx  of  somewhat  celestially  paradisiacal, 
which  is  not  to  be  expressed.'     At  this  the  angel  rejoiced, 
and  said,   'AH  the   gardens  of  our  heaven  are  representa- 
tive forms  or  types  of  heavenly  blessednesses  in  their  ori- 
gins; and  because  the   influx  of  these  blessednesses   ele- 
vated your  minds,  therefore  ye  exclaimed,    Behold  heaven 
in   form!     But  they  who  do  not  receive  that  influx,  regard 
hese  paradisiacal  gardens  only  as  common  woods  or  for- 


120  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

ests.  All  they  receive  the  mflux,  who  are  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  love  of  uses;  but  they  do  not  receive  it,  who 
are  under  the  influence  of  the  love  of  glory,  not  originating 
in  uses.'  Afterwards  he  explained  and  taught  them  what 
every  'particular  thing  in  the  garden  represented  and  signifi- 
ed.''— To  these  quotations  only  one  more  shall  be  added, 
(Ibid,  page  102.)  "When  they  of  the  first  assembly  had 
heard  these  relations,  they  all  likewise  acknowledged  that 
they  had  never  entertained  any  other  notion  of  heaven,  than 
of  a  local  blessedness  independent  of  their  internal  disposi- 
tions; and  that  to  be  admitted  therein,  would  be  to  enter 
upon  the  fruition  of  never  ceasing  delights.  Then  the  an- 
gel addressed  them  in  the  following  words:  'Ye  see  now 
that  the  joys  of  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  have  not  relation 
to  jjlace,  but  to  the  state  of  the  life  of  man;  and  a  state  of 
heavenly  life  is  derived  from  love  and  icisdom.  And  Avhereas 
use,  or  profitable  service,  is  that  which  containeth  love  and 
wisdom,  and  in  which  they  are  fixed  and  subsist,  therefore 
a  state  of  heavenly  life  is  derived  from  the  conjunction  of 
love  and  wisdom  in  use.  It  is  the  same  thing  if  we  call 
them  charily,  faith,  and  good  works;  inasmuch  as  charity 
is  love;  faith  is  truth,  whence  wisdom  springeth;  and  good 
works  are  uses.  Moreover,  in  our  spiritual  world  there 
are  places  as  in  the  natural  world;  otherwise,  there  could 
be  no  habitations  and  distinct  abodes.  Nevertheless,  place 
with  us  is  not  place,  but  an  appearance  of  place  according 
to  the  state  of  love  and  wisdom,  or  of  charity  and  faith. 
Every  one  who  becometh  an  angel,  carrieth  his  own  heaven 
within  himself;  inasmuch  as  he  carrieth  in  himself  the  love 
of  his  own  heaven;  for  man,  from  creation,  is  a  very  small 
effigy,  image,  and  type,  of  the  great  heaven,  and  the  hu- 
man form  nothing  else.  Wherefore  every  one  cometh 
after  death  to  that  society  in  heaven,  to  whose  general 
form  he  beareth  a  particular  agreement  in  his  particular 
form.  Consequently,  when  he  entereth  into  that  society, 
he  entereth  into  a  form  corresponding  to  himself;  thus  he 
passeth  from  himself  into  a  self-society,  as  it  were,  and 
from  a  self-society,  into  himself;  and  enjoyeth  his  own  life 
in  that  of  the  society,  and  that  of  the  society  in  his  own 
life.  For  every  society  in  heaven  may  be  considered  as 
one  common  body,  and  the  constituent  angels  as  the  simi- 
lar parts  thereof,  from  which  the  common  body  deriveth  its 
existence  and  support.  Hence  it  follows,  that  they  who 
are  principled  in  evils,  and  in  falses  originating  in  evils, 
have  formed  in  themselves  an  effigy  of  hell,  which  sufl^er- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  121 

eth  torment  in  heaven,  from  the  influx  and  violent  activity 
of  one  opposite  upon  another.  For  infernal  love  is  oppo- 
site to  heavenly  love;  and,  consequently,  the  delights  of 
each  are  in  a  state  of  discord  and  enmity,  and  whensoever 
they  meet,  endeavor  to  destroy  each  other." 

Now,  when  it  is  considered,  that  these  are  not  mere  iso- 
lated assertions,  but  that  they  contain  the  principle  upon 
which  all  Swedenborg's  alleged  visions  of  heaven  and  hell 
are  written;  that  some  of  these  visions  are  devoted  express- 
ly to  the  purpose  of  exposing  the  folly  of  those  ideas  of 
heaven  which  are  attributed  to  Swedenborg;  that,  in  nu- 
merous places,  he  has  demonstrated  how,  to  those  who  are 
not  prepared  for  its  beatitudes  by  inward  purity,  heaven,  so 
far  from  being  a  place  of  happiness,  is  a  place  of  insuffera- 
ble agony, — there  is  no  difficulty  in  concluding,  that  the 
objections  urged  in  the  Essays  are  entirely  inapplicable  to 
Swedenborg's  writings;  because  a  perusal  of  his  works 
clearly  shews,  that  there  is  not  only  no  ground  for  these 
objections,  but  not  even  the  slightest  shadow  of  such 
ground  ;  and,  consequently,  that  if  there  be  any  imagi- 
nation exercised  upon  the  subject,  it  must  be  the  imagina- 
tion of  those  who  attribute  to  Swedenborg  the  creations  of 
their  own  mind.  Indeed,  a  review  of  the  arguments  against 
his  narratives  will  shew,  that  one  of  the  objections  against 
them,  has  been  the  absence  of  that  very  characteristic 
which  Your  Grace  has  justly  attributed  to  the  writings  of 
the  enthusiast.  The  dry  matter-of-factness  (as  it  has  been 
called)  of  his  Memorable  Relations,  has  been  complained 
of,  as  throwing  a  damp  and  chill  upon  the  imaginative  pow- 
ers, and  investing  with  too  lowly  a  garb  ideas  which  the 
poet  would  have  arrayed  in  all  the  splendor  of  rhetorical 
costume;  while  the  extreme  simplicity  of  the  style,  in  gene- 
ral, is  apt  to  make  the  ordinary  reader  forget  the  grandeur 
and  immensity  of  the  idea  which  the  writer  is  unfolding. 
A  more  inapplicable  objection,  therefore,  could  scarcely  be 
urged,  than  the  one  which  attributes  the  glowing  descrip- 
tions of  the  enthusiast  to  the  narratives  of  Swedenborg.  I 
entirely  agree  with  Your  Grace,  that  Ih  the  case  of  pre- 
tended intercourse  with  the  other  world,  the  impostor  and 
enthusiast  would  have  addressed  themselves  to  the  curiosi- 
ty, credulity,  and  natural  imaginations  of  their  followers; 
and  it  is  precisely  because  Swedenborg  has  not  done  this, 
that  I  would  take  up  the  argument  in  the  Essays,  and  use 
it  as  demonstrative  evidence  that,  in  this  respect,  at  least, 
11 


1:22  INTERCOUnSE    WITH 

Swedenborg  was  not  an  enthusiast,  nor  the  dupe  of  a  dis- 
tempered fancy. 

But  the  Essays  refer  us  to  the  case  of  St.  Paul.  They 
speak  of  the  celestial  vision  with  which  he  had  been  favor- 
ed, and  observe,  that  he  alludes,  with  the  utmost  possible 
brevity,  to  his  being  caught  up  into  paradise  and  hearing 
unspeakable  words,  without  relating  any  particulars  of  the 
vision:  this  circumstance  the  reader  is  naturally  led  to  con- 
trast with  Swedenborg's  ''copious  and  d'lslinct  revelations,^^ 
his  "  visit  to  the  celestial  abodes,"  Sec,  of  all  which  it  is 
said  "  he  gives  minute  descriptions:"  it  is  directly  contrast- 
ed, likewise,  with  the  narratives  of  Mahomed;  and  the  Es- 
says observe, — "  It  is  truly  edifying  to  compare  this  with 
Mahomed's  long  and  circumstantial  description  of  his  pre- 
tended visit  to  heaven,  filled  with  a  multitude  of  needless 
particulars,  calculated  to  gratify  an  appetite  for  the  mar- 
vellous;" the  narratives  of  Swedenborg  being  thus  obviously 
classed  with  those  of  Mahomed.  Now,  with  regard  to  the 
minute  descriptions  of  the  celestial  abodes,  pretended  to  be 
given  by  Swedenborg,  pardon  the  liberty  I  take  in  observ- 
ing, that  I  am  not  aware  that  any  such  are  to  be  found  in 
any  part  of  his  works.  Swedenborg  tells  us  that  there  are 
three  heavens,  the  celestial,  the  spiritual,  and  the  natural; 
and  that  of  these,  the  third  heaven  or  the  highest  is  the  ce- 
lestial, being  the  same  with  that  into  which  St.  Paul  de- 
clares he  was  caught  up.  The  celestial  abodes  are  the 
abodes  in  the  celestial  heavens;  and  into  these  Swedenborg 
observes  that  he  was  rarely  permitted  to  enter;  whence,  so 
far  from  giving  long  and  minute  descriptions  upon  this  sub- 
ject, he  is  silent  with  regard  to  most  of  what  he  there  saw 
and  heard;  declaring,  like  St.  Paul,  that  it  would  be  incom- 
prehensible or  incredible;  consequently,  on  the  point  upon 
which  the  Essays  have  contrasted  the  writings  of  St.  Paul 
with  those  of  Swedenborg,  there  is  much  more  of  remarka- 
ble coincidence  than  of  contrast.  With  regard  to  the 
abodes  in  the  spiritual  heavens,  little  is  stated,  compared 
with  what  Your  Grace  justly  observes  an  enthusiast  or  im- 
postor would  probably  have  done;  and  what  is  stated,  is 
stated  in  a  way,  which,  as  I  have  already  shewn,  and  shall 
in  the  sequel  have  further  to  shew,  renders  it  impossible  for 
it  to  have  come  either  from  an  enthusiast  or  impostor. 

But  the  Essays  remark, — "  He  (the  Christian)  may  ask 
them,  (infidels,)  how  it  came  to  pass  that  no  one  of  our  sa- 
cred writers  has  given  a  full,  minute  and  engaging  account 
of  all  that  is,  according  to  him,   to  take  place  at  the  end  of 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  123 

the  world;  of  all  the  interesting  particulars  of  the  day  of 
judgment;  of  the  new  bodies  with  which  men  will  arise, 
and  of  the  glories  that  shall  be  revealed  in  heaven;  or  has 
given  any  account  at  all,  or,  at  least,  any  from  which  a  de- 
cisive conclusion  can  be  drawn,  of  the  condition  in  which 
men  are  to  remain  during  the  interval  between  death  and 
the  resurrection."-— Now  I  should  be  exceedingly  sorry  to 
detract  from  any  legitimate  argument  against  either  Maho- 
medanism  or  infidelity;  yet  1  cannot  think  the  cause  of 
Christianity  is  advanced,  by  resting  it  upon  principles  which 
are  untenable;  for  might  not  the  Christian  thus  be  replied 
to  by  some  other  fellow  Christian  himself  ?  '  How  can  you 
start  this  objection,  when  you  admit  that  there  are  many 
portions  of  Scripture  which  you  do  not  understand;  and  if 
you  do  not  understand  them,  how  do  you  know  but  that  they 
may  possibly  contain  information  upon  some  of  those  very 
subjects  which  you  have  here  specified;  as,  for  instance, 
the  end  of  the  world,  and  the  day  of  judgment  ? — subjects 
which,  at  least,  as  some  of  our  commentators  admit,  appear 
to  be  alluded  to  in  the  book  of  Revelation.' 

Besides,  there  is  another  point  of  view  in  which  the  ob- 
jection should  be  considered,  before  it  can  be  fairly  urged. 
We  believe  it  to  be  demonstrable  from  Scripture,  that  by 
the  end  of  the  world,  is  meant  only  the  end  of  the  existing 
dispensation  or  church;  and  by  the  day  of  judgment,  the 
destruction  of  that  church,  and  the  establishment  of  anoth- 
er; that  hence,  the  popular  ideas  respecting  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  the  day  of  judgment,  have  not  that  foundation 
in  Scripture  which  is  commonly  supposed;  and  if  so,  it  is 
not  likely  that  a  sacred  writer,  under  the  influence  of  inspi- 
ration, should  detail  the  particulars  of  that  which,  as  j)opu- 
larlij  conceived,  was  never  designed  to  exist. 

But  the  Essays  observe,  "  It  is  plain  that  nothing  could 
have  been  more  gratifying  to  the  curiosity  of  all  who  had 
an  interest  in  the  subject,  nothing  more  likely  even  to  al- 
lure fresh  converts,  than  a  glowing  description  of  the  joys 
of  heaven;  it  would  have  been  easily  believed,  too,  by  those 
who  gave  credit  to  the  writer,  as  it  is  plain  Paul  supposed 
the  Corinthians  did;  it  would  have  been  very  easy,  again, 
for  an  impostor  to  give  loose  to  his  fancy,  in  inventing  such 
a  description ;  and  to  an  enthusiast  it  would  have  been  una- 
Toidable;  he  who  was  passing  off  his  day-dreams  for  revela- 
tions on  himself  as  well  as  on  others,  would  have  been  sure  to 
dream  largely  on  such  a  subject.  Why  then  did  not  Paul  do 
any  thing  of  the   kind?     I  answer,  because  he  was  not  an 


124  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

impostor,  nor  an  enthusiast,  but  taught  only  what  had  been 
actually  revealed  to  him,  and  what  he  was  commissioned  to 
reveal  to  others." 

It  is  asked,  why  St.  Paul  did  not  do  any  thing  of  the 
kind.''  May  I  answer  this  question  by  asking,  "  Why  is  it 
that  St.  John  did?"  But  it  will  be  said,  St.  John  did  not 
give  a  full,  minute,  and  engaging  account.  St.  John  wrote 
in  tvpes  or  symbols,  and  a  type  will  contain  as  much  in  a 
short  compass,  as,  if  explained,  volumes  could  comprise. 
Had  Sv/edenborg  given  the  symbols  only,  without  their  ex- 
planation, he  might,  in  most  instances,  have  been  as  con- 
cise as  the  prophets.  To  draw  the  comparison  fairly  be- 
tween the  two,  the  interpretations  of  the  symbols  in  Scrip- 
ture ought  to  be  included;  Euid  if  this  be  done,  the  argu- 
ment, I  presume,  will  be  seen  to  be  invalid.  But  the  nar- 
ratives of  the  prophets,  it  is  said,  are  not  minute.  Now  I 
reply,  that  some,  at  least,  appear  to  be  quite  as  minute  as 
those  of  Swedenborg;  and  this  for  a  good  reason.  If  the  ob- 
jects presented  to  the  spiritual  vision  be  symbolical,  then,  for 
the  purposes  of  interpretation,  a  minute  description  of  these 
objects  is  as  necessary,  as,  for  the  same  purposes,  a  minute 
transcript  of  a  hieroglyphical  sentence;  for  if  one  hiero- 
glyph were  omitted,  the  meaning  of  the  whole  might  be 
altered  or  left  imperfect.  This  we  may  see  more  partic- 
ularly exemplified  in  St.  John's  description  of  the  New  Je- 
rusalem. 

The  symbolical  nature  of  visions  of  the  third  heaven,  and 
the  difliculty  of  their  being  comprehended  except  by  celes- 
tial minds,  seem  to  justify  a  conclusion  different  from  the 
one  stated  in  the  Essays, — that  the  narrative  of  St.  Paul's 
vision  would  have  been  calculated  to  allure  converts,  and 
have  been  readily  believed  by  those  who  gave  credit  to  the 
apostle.  Is  there  not  reason  to  presume  the  contrary?  that 
the  narrative  might  have  tended  rather  to  repel  than  allure? 
that  it  might  have  contained  things  apparently  absurd,  cer- 
tainly incredible,  and,  to  most  of  the  Corinthians,  incom- 
prehensible?— that,  as  such,  the  opponents  of  St.  Paul 
might  have  taken  advantage  of  the  circumstance  to  under- 
mine his  authority,  and  to  call  in  question  the  credit  he  al- 
ready enjoyed?  At  all  events,  the  occasion  upon  which 
St.  Paul  alluded  to  the  vision,  was  one  upon  which  his  own 
authority,  as  an  apostle,  was  disputed;  and  we  have  al- 
ready observed,  that  it  is  contrary  to  the  Divine  Order,  un- 
der the  Christian  dispensation,  to  adduce  visions,  as  mere 
external  evidence,  with  a  view  to  allure  converts,  or  to  gain 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  125 

credit.  There  is  no  end  to  the  abuses  to  which  such  a  pro- 
ceeding might  give  rise.  This,  indeed,  is  the  very  ground 
upon  which  Dr.  Middieton  has  objected  to  the  visions  re- 
corded in  the  early  ages  of  the  church;  and  every  reason- 
able person  must  see  the  force  of  the  objection.  Had, 
therefore,  St.  Paul  related  the  particulars  of  his  vision,  with 
a  view  to  the  confirmation  of  his  doctrines,  or  of  his  own 
authority  in  the  church,  he  would  have  laid  himself  open  to 
the  objection,  which  has  been  so  forcibly  urged  against 
many  of  the  recorded  visions  of  the  early  ages  of  Chris- 
tianity. Besides,  whoever  attentively  reflects  upon  the 
character  of  St.  Paul,  will  see  a  very  great  difference  be- 
tween his  mind  and  that  of  St.  John;  the  former  having  a 
tendency  to  vain-glory,  the  latter,  a  tendency  to  humility. 
St.  Paul  admits,  therefore,  that  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  was 
sent  him,  to  prevent  his  being  exalted  above  measure  by 
the  privilege  conferred  upon  him;  and  it  is  obvious,  that 
his  silence  on  the  particulars  of  his  vision  accorded  well 
with  his  desire  to  overcome  this  personal  infirmity,  and  to 
avoid,  as  far  as  possible,  even  the  appearance  of  glorying. 
Moreover,  the  vision  of  St.  Paul  seems  to  have  had  refer- 
ence solely  to  himself;  because  it  was  granted  with  a  view 
to  support  and  encourage  him  under  his  various  trials,  and 
not  for  the  purpose  of  benefiting  or  instructing  the  church 
in  general.  Hence,  on  the  words,  "  which  it  is  not  lawful 
for  a  man  to  utter,"  a  modern  commentator*  thus  writes: 
'*  Because  the  apostle  had  not  the  authority  to  declare  the 
mysteries  revealed  to  him;  this  having  been  done,  7iot  so 
much  for  the  sake  of  the  church,  as  for  that  of  the  apostle  him- 
self,  who  had  these  convincing  proofs  of  the  divinity  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  vouchsafed  to  him,  that  he  might  be  ena- 
bled to  bear  cheerfully  all  labors  and  all  afllictions."  In  ad- 
dition to  this  it  may  be  observed,  that  some  commentators 
are  of  opinion  that  St.  Paul  was  positively  forbidden!  to  de- 
clare the  particulars  of  his  vision;  for  that  he  says,  it  was  not 
lawful  for  him  to  utter  what  he  had  heard  and  seen,  as  if 
he  had  received  an  express  command  to  be  silent  on  the 
subject;  and  this,  too,  in  all  probability,  for  some  of  the 
reasons  that  we  have  stated, — reasons  which  were  altogeth- 
er local  and  personal,  or  relative  to  the  existing  state  of 
the  church,  but  from  which  no  sort  of  conclusion  can  be 
drawn,  that  God  would,  at  no  future  time,  grant  to  his  ser- 

*  Bloomfield's  Synopsis, 
t  See  Hammond  and  Bloomfield's  Synopsis. 
11* 


126  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

vants  the  privilege  of  heavenly  vision,  or,  if  he  did,  that 
none  to  whom  it  was  granted,  should  be  allowed  to  declare 
what  they  saw.  Indeed,  the  case  of  St.  John  refutes  such 
a  position. 

Why,  then,  was  St.  Paul  silent  as  to  his  vision  in  the  third 
heaven?  Because  he  was  not  commissioned  to  reveal  to 
others  what  he  had  heard  and  seen.  Why  was  St.  John 
not  silent?  Because  the  Lord  said  to  him,  "What  thou 
seest  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches 
which  are  in  Asia."  The  question,  therefore,  I  respect- 
fully submit,  does  not  depend  upon  any  antecedent  views 
we  may  entertain  of  the  propriety  or  impropriety  of  a  full, 
minute,  or  engaging  account;  but  upon  the  fact  of  what 
the  writers  themselves  actually  saw,  and  were  divinely 
commissioned  to  reveal  to  others;  and,  therefore,  if  the 
foregoing  objection  be  in  any  manner  urged  against  Swe- 
denborg,  it  can  be  valid  only  on  the  ground,  that  he  never 
had  any  intercourse  v.'ith  the  spiritual  world,  or  never  had 
any  divine  commission  to  communicate  what  he  saw, — 
which  is  merely  begging  the  question. 

But  I  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  the  second  ob- 
jection, namely,  That  further  knowledge  with  respect  to 
the  other  world  is  forbidden;  and  that  any  desire  to  attain 
it  originates  in  folly  and  presumption. 

The  Essays  make  mention,  in  their  reference  to  this 
subject,  of  "Me  idle  and  arrogaiil  jiretensions  of  human  fraud 
and  follij ;'^  and  I  confess,  that  the  frequent  occurrence  of 
delusion  and  imposture,  in  cases  of  pretended  revelations, 
affords  just  cause  of  the  greatest  regret;  nor  can  I  wonder 
that,  constituted  as  is  the  human  mind,  these  evils  should 
have  given  rise  to  a  strong  prejudice  against  the  writings 
of  Swedenborg,  and  pfedisposed  the  minds  of  even  pious 
and  learned  men  to  presume,  without  inquiry,  that  all 
alleged  communications  of  knowledge  respecting  the  other 
world,  except  such  as  are  in  Scripture,  are  equally  false, 
delusive,  and  presumptuous.  I  cannot  wonder,  likewise, 
that  even  the  visions  recorded  in  Scripture  should  come  to 
be  treated  with  great  unconcern  by  the  generality  of  Chris- 
tians; and  that  many  should  be  very  willing  to  take  out  of 
Scripture,  if  they  could,  those  pages  in  it,  upon  which  in- 
tercourse with  the  spiritual  world  stands  recorded.  What, 
however,  in  these  matters  distinguishes  the  wise  from  the 
foolish  hearer?  What,  but  that  the  one  is  blindly  led  by 
his  prepossessions;  the  other,  at  least,  reserves  to  himself 
iquiry?  the  one  idly  floats  down  the 


THE     SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  127 

stream  of  popular  opinion;  the  other  is  willing  to  search 
and  see  whether  these  things  are  so?  It  is  to  such  a  one 
that  1  appeal;  and,  for  his  own  sake,  entreat  him  to  scru- 
tinize and  sift  the  pretensions  of  Swedenborg,  in  order  to 
ascertain  whether  they  are  really  false  and  delusive,  and, 
as  such,  had  their  origin  in  fraud,  folly,  or  presumption. 

Much  is  stated  in  the  Essays  with  regard  to  presumptu- 
ous knowledge  and  inquiry,  and  it  may  be  well,  in  answer- 
ing the  objection  founded  upon  this  evil,  to  consider  what 
is  advanced  upon  the  subject. 

After  speaking  of  this  tendency  of  the  human  mind,  and 
of  consequent  attempts  to  explain  unrevealed  mysteries,  it 
is  remarked,  "Little  as  there  is  revealed  to  us  of  the  con- 
dition of  our  first  parents  in  Paradise,  thus  much  (and  let 
Christians  never  forget  it)  is  plainly  taught  us,  that  they 
fell  from  their  happy  state  through  the  desire  of  forbidden 
knowledge.  It  was  by  seeking  from  men  to  become  'as 
gods,  knowing  good  and  evil,'  that  they  incurred  that  loss, 
to  retrieve  which  God  was  made  man,  in  Christ  Jesus; 
who  "took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  humbled 
himself  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,'  to  redeem 
us,  the  children  of  Adam,  whom  ivant  of  humility  had 
ruined,  and  to  open  to  us  the  gates  of  eternal  life,  which 
presumptuous  transgression  had  shut.  How,  then,  can  we 
hope  to  enter  in,  if  we  repeat  the  very  transgression  of 
Adam,  in  seeking  ,to  be  wise  above  that  which  is  written? 
By  inquisitive  pride  was  immortal  happiness  forfeited;  and 
the  path  by  which  we  must  travel  back  to  its  recovery  is 
that  of  patient  and  resigned  humility." 

Now,  certainly  the  wickedness  of  an  inquisitive  pride  can 
scarcely  be  exaggerated.  I  agree,  therefore,  in  all  that  is 
said  upon  this  part  of  the  subject,  and  sincerely  desire  to 
be  guarded  from  a  sin  so  fatal.  But  how  comes  it  to  pass, 
that  this  presumptuous  knowledge,  of  the  attempt  at  which 
Swedenborg  and  his  followers  are  sometimes  thought  to  be 
guilty,  is  such  as  exposes  the  direful  evils  of  presumption? 
How  comes  it,  that  the  inquisitive  pride,  which  is  some- 
times laid  to  his  charge,  leads  him  to  acknowledge  princi- 
ples of  child-like  humility?  How  comes  it,  that  the  sup- 
posed arrogance  of  his  self-inielligence  brings  him  to  the 
conclusion,  that  man  of  himself  is  nothing  but  evil,  that  in 
order  to  be  saved  he  must  he  regenerated;  while  many, 
who  are  reputed  to  be  more  bumble  and  unpresuming,  in- 
form us,  that  this  is  a  mistake,  that  man  is  not  so  far  gone 
from  his  original  state,  and  that  he  is  much  better  than 


128  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

many  would  consider  him  to  be?  Surely  an  attempt  to 
know  the  human  heart,  to  purify  its  nature,  and  for  this 
purpose  to  aim  at  more  Divine  light,  could  not  have  been 
the  crime  for  which  Adam  was  cast  out  of  Paradise,  Nay, 
it  is  replied,  The  crime  or  delusion  of  Swedenborg,  consists 
in  his  laying  claim  to  an  open  intercourse  with  another 
world,  and  pretending  to  a  knowledge  of  mysteries  which 
are  beyond  the  grave.  But,  allow  me  to  observe,  this 
knowledge  was  not  that  which  occasioned  man  to  fall,  but 
rather  the  knowledge  from  which  he  fell.  How  often  do 
well-meaning  persons  reason  backward  upon  this  subject ! 
as  if  the  darkness  in  which  we  live  was  man's  natural  con- 
dition, and  the  light  which  we  endeavor  to  attain  was  the 
occasion  of  his  fall;  as  if  open  communion  with  heaven 
was  the  curse,  and  the  closing  of  heaven  the  blessing;  as 
if  the  presumption  consisted  in  aiming  at  that  Divine 
knowledge  from  which  man  fell,  and  the  humility  in  contin- 
uing in  that  ignorance  into  which  his  presumption  cast 
him!  How  is  it,  however,  that  the  presumptuous  know- 
ledge, at  which  Swedenborg  is  supposed  to  aim,  acts  as  a 
check  to  the  presumptuous  inquirer,  and  makes  him  not  the 
receiver,  but  the  unbeliever.'' 

With  regard  to  the  subject  of  forbidden  knowledge,  it  is 
certainly  true,  that  our  first  parents  fell  in  consequence  of 
aspiring  to  it;  but  the  question  is,  what  that  knowledge  is 
which  was  forbidden.  All  knowledge  is,  I  apprehend,  for- 
bidden, and  Divine  knowledge  in  particular,  when  we  seek 
it  from  a  wrong  principle.  However  calculated  it  may  be 
to  purify  the  heart,  if  received  in  a  right  state  of  mind,  we 
know  that,  if  received  in  a  wrong  one,  it  has  the  contrary 
efTect.  Our  Savior  therefore  said,  even  with  regard  to  the 
truths  of  salvation,  "I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  revealed  them  unto  babes;"  for 
assuredly  it  is  a  mercy,  that  God  should  conceal  even  the 
practical  truths  of  salvation  from  those,  who,  if  they  re- 
ceived them,  would  only  profane  and  corrupt  them.  In 
this  case,  then,  even  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  may  become 
a  forbidden  knowledge;  just  as  the  tree  of  life  was  ulti- 
mately as  much  forbidden,  as  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil.  While  man  ate  of  the  tree  of  life,  he  was  for- 
bidden to  eat  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil; 
and  while  he  ate  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  he  was  forbidden  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life.  Let  us  in- 
quire into  the  reason  of  this. 


THE     SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  129 

Solomon  says,  that  wisdom  is  a  tree  of  life,  that  is  to 
say,  Divine  wisdom.  Now,  what  was  the  tree  of  the  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil  ?  Was  it  of  the  same  nature  with 
that  of  the  tree  of  life,  but  only  of  a  higher  order?  It  must 
be  so,  if  it  correspond  to  the  knowledge  which  the  Essays 
maintain  is  forbidden.  For  when  they  speak  of  forbidden 
knowledge,  it  does  not  appear  that  they  mean  a  knowledge 
essentially  evil;  but  knowledge  divine,  which  it  is  presum- 
ed God  has  withheld.  Thus,  not  only  in  this,  but  often  in 
the  publications  of  other  authors,  when  treating  of  this  sub- 
ject, it  appears  that  the  tree  of  life  and  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil  are  confounded  with  each  other;  and 
we  are  supposed  to  be  guilty  of  desiring  to  partake  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  when,  in  fact,  we  are 
but  desiring  to  partake,  from  a  right  principle,  of  the  tree 
of  life.  The  consequence  is,  that  the  argument,  as  applied 
to  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  appears  to  be  altogether 
mistaken.  "Ye  shall  be  as  gods,"  said  the  tempter, 
"knowing  good  and  evil."  This  was  the  end  and  object  of 
their  knowledge,  to  become  as  gods,  to  exalt  their  own 
self-hood,  and  to  consider  self  as  the  source  of  wisdom. 
Here  was  a  presumptuous  principle.  Why,  then,  was 
Divine  knowledge  forbidden  to  them,  in  this  state?  Be- 
cause the  principle  was  forbidden,  from  which  the  know- 
ledge was  sought;  for  the  more  the  knowledge  of  good  is 
sought  from  a  principle  of  self,  the  more  is  the  knowledge 
of  evil  increased;  since  evil  is  nothing  but  good  perverted, 
as  falsehood  is  nothing  but  truth  perverted.  It  was  in 
mercy,  therefore,  that  God  forbade  his  creatures  to  enter 
into  Divine  knowledge,  from  an  evil  principle:  as  long  as 
they  were  in  that  evil  principle,  they  were  designed  to  con- 
tinue in  darkness,  till  the  period  should  arrive  when  man 
should  be  restored,  and,  abandoning  his  evil  state,  should 
have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life.  The  tree  of  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil  is,  therefore,  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  from  an  evil  or  selfish  and  sensual  state;  this  being 
the  state  in  which  man  is  arrogant  and  presumptuous; 
relying  upon  his  self-intelligence,  and  thus  presuming  to 
be  as  God.  In  this  case,  what  is  the  nature  of  his  know- 
ledge? Are  not  its  principles  sensual  and  earthly,  confin- 
ed to  the  mere  conditions  of  time  and  space?  Are  not  his 
ideas  and  feelings  merely  natural?  And  what  has  the  nat- 
ural man  ever  done  in  regard  to  Divine  wisdom?  what, 
but  to  pervert  and  corrupt  it?  It  is,  therefore,  the  mere 
science  or  knowledge  of  Divine  truth  separate  from  Divine 


130  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

life,  and  conjoined  with  a  selfish  and  sensual  nature,  that  is 
called  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil;  and  it 
was  to  prevent  the  attempt  to  enter  into  Divine  mysteries, 
or  partake  of  the  tree  of  life,  from  this  state,  that  man  was 
driven  out  from  the  gates  of  Paradise.  Hence  it  was  the 
state  of  man  that  caused  even  Divine  knowledge  to  be  for- 
bidden, and  not  the  nature  of  the  knowledge  itself;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  was  the  nature  of  the  knowledge 
itself  (which  was  good  profaned  and  truth  falsified)  that 
was  the  cause  for  which  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil  was  forbidden , 

Now,  Swedenborg  maintains,  (what,  I  submit,  must  be 
disproved  before  he  can  be  refuted,)  that  it  is  in  conse- 
quence of  this  tendency  in  mankind  to  the  profanation  of 
good  and  the  falsification  of  truth,  that  God,  in  his  mercy, 
has  hitherto  hid  from  them,  both  the  Divine  Wisdom  con- 
tained in  His  Word,  and  the  mysteries  of  heaven;  and  that 
in  his  mercy  he  will,  as  far  as  possible,  continue  to  with- 
hold them  from  all,  to  whom  this  knowledge  would  be  per- 
nicious. If,  therefore,  any  one  should  be  deterred  from 
entering  into  the  Internal  Sense  of  the  Word  of  God,  or 
receiving  that  knowledge  with  regard  to  the  other  world, 
which  is  now  placed  in  his  power,  then  I  have  only  to  ob- 
serve that,  whatever  be  the  causes  which  operate  to  influ- 
ence him,  he  may  be  fulfilling  the  designs  of  Providence  in 
a  way  in  which  he  little  suspects:  and,  as  such,  we  should 
be  the  last  persons  to  endeavor  to  persuade  him  to  enter 
through  those  gates  which,  in  the  Divine  mercy,  had  been 
closed  upon  him. 

To  these  observations  it  may  be  well  to  add  a  few  ex- 
tracts from  the  Arcana  Coelestia,  in  illustration  of  those 
passages  of  Scripture  to  which  we  have  been  adverting: — 

"  1!26.  But  of  (he  tree  of  the  science  of  good  and  evil,  thou 
shall  not  eat  of  if,  for  in  tht  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  dying 
thou  wilt  die.  These  words,  together  with  the  foregoing, 
signify,  that  it  is  allowable  to  know  what  is  true  and  good, 
by  perception  from  the  Lord,  but  not  from  self  and  the 
world;  or,  that  it  is  not  allowable  to  inquire  into  the  myste- 
ries of  faith,  by  what  appertains  to  sense  and  science,  where- 
by its  celestial  principle  dies." 

"  128.  The  worldly  and  corporeal  man  says  in  his  heart, 
'  If  I  am  not  instructed  concerning  faith,  and  the  things  re- 
lating to  faith,  by  things  of  sense,  so  that  I  may  see  them, 
or  by  thino-s  of  science,  so  that  I  may  understand  them,  I 
will  not  believe;'  and  he  confirms  himself  in  his  incredulity 


THE    yPIRITUAL    WORLD.  131 

by  this  persuasion,  that  natural  things  cannot  be  contrary 
to  spiritual  things;  wherefore,  he  is  desirous  of  being  in- 
structed from  things  of  sense,  concerning  things  celestial 
and  divine;  nevertheless,  this  is  as  impossible  as  it  is  for  a 
camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle.  The  more  he  de- 
sires to  grow  wise  from  such  a  ground,  the  more  he  blinds 
himself;  till  at  length  he  comes  to  believe  nothing,  not  even 
the  existence  of  any  thing  spiritual,  or  of  eternal  life.  This 
is  a  necessary  consequence  of  the  principle  which  he  lays 
down;  and  this  is  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil,  which  causes  a  greater  death  the  more  a 
man  eats  thereof.  But  whoso  wishes  to  grow  wise  by  a 
wisdom  not  derived  from  the  world,  but  from  the  Lord, 
says  in  his  heart, fthat  he  ought  to  believe  the  Lord,  that  is, 
the  things  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken  in  the  Word,  be- 
cause they  are  truths;  and  this  is  the  principle  by  which  he 
governs  his  thoughts;  and  then  he  confirms  himself  in  such 
belief,  by  things  rational,  scientific,  sensual  and  natural; 
and  removes  from  his  mind  whatever  does  not  tend  to  such 
confirmation." 

'*  129.  It  is  in  every  one's  power  to  see,  that  man  is 
governed  by  the  principles  he  assumes,  be  they  ever  so 
false,  and  that  all  his  science  and  reasoning  favor  such  prin- 
ciples; for  innumerable  considerations  that  tend  to  support 
them,  are  ever  ready  to  present  themselves,  and  thus  he  is 
confirmed  in  his  false  sentiments;  wherefore  he  who  as- 
sumes it  as  a  principle,  that  nothing  is  to  be  believed  be- 
fore it  is  (from  sense  and  science)  seen  and  understood, 
can  never  believe;  inasmuch  as  spiritual  and  celestial 
things  are  incapable  of  being  seen  with  the  eyes,  or  con- 
ceived in  the  imagination.  But  the  true  order  is,  that  man 
be  wise  with  a  wisdom  derived  from  the  Lord,  that  is,  from 
his  Word;  in  which  case,  all  things  succeed  in  their  right 
course,  and  then,  also,  he  is  enlightened  in  things  rational 
and  scientific;  for  man  is  never  forbid  to  learn  the  sciences, 
inasmuch  as  they  contribute  to  the  use  and  delight  of  life; 
nor  is  he  who  is  under  the  influence  of  faith  forbidden  to 
think  and  speak  as  the  learned  do  in  the  world;  but  then 
he  must  be  guided  by  this  principle,  to  believe  the  Word  of 
the  Lord,  and  to  confirm  spiritual  and  celestial  truths  by 
natural  truths,  in  terms  familiar  to  the  learned  world,  as  far 
as  lies  in  his  power;  wherefore  his  principle  must  be  de- 
rived from  the  Lord,  and  not  from  himself.  The  former  is 
life,  but  the  latter  is  death." 

'*  301.   Lest  now  he  'put  forth  his  hand,  and  take  also  of  the 


132  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

tree  of  lives,  and  eat  and  live  for  ever.  When  men  become 
inverted  as  to  the  order  of  their  life,  and  are  unwilling  to 
confess  their  life  and  wisdom  to  be  derived  from  any  other 
fountain,  but  from  themselves  and  proprium,  then,  whatever 
they  hear  respecting  faith,  they  reason  about  it,  disputing 
whether  it  be  so  or  not;  and  whereas,  such  reasoning  is 
grounded  in  themselves,  and  in  the  things  of  sense  and 
science  in  themselves,  they  must  needs  be  led  thereby  to 
deny  the  things  of  faith;  and  in  denying,  to  blaspheme  and 
profane  them ;  till  at  length  they  become  so  indifferent  to- 
ward them,  that  they  do  not  scruple  to  mix  what  is  profane 
with  what  is  holy.  .  .  In  the  other  life.  .  .  .  the  separation 
of  profane  things  thus  joined  with  holy  things,  cannot  pos- 
sibly be  effected  but  by  infernal  torment,  of  so  terrible  a 
kind,  that  if  man  was  aware  of  it,  he  would  be  as  cautious 
of  falling  into  such  profanation,  as  of  falling  into  hell  itself" 

"  302.  This  was  the  reason  why  the  Jews,  as  being  a  peo- 
ple so  prone  to  profanation,  never  had  the  mysteries  of  faith 
revealed  to  them;  so  that  it  was  never  directly  declared  to 
them,  that  they  should  live  after  death,  or  that  the  Lord 
should  come  into  the  world  to  save  them;  nay,  they  v/ere 
kept  in  so  great  ignorance  and  blindness,  and  are  still  kept 
so,  that  they  did  not  know,  nor  do  they  know  at  this  day, 
that  any  internal  man  exists,  or  that  there  is  any  thing  in- 
ternal; for  had  they  known  these  truths,  or  did  they  know 
them  at  present  so  as  to  acknowledge  them,  they  are  a 
people  of  such  a  nature  that  they  would  profane  them;  and 
thus  preclude  themselves  from  all  hope  of  salvation  in 
another  life.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Lord,  in  John, 
— 'He  hath  blinded  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart, 
that  they  should  not  see  with  their  eyes,  nor  understand 
with  their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them.' 
This  is  the  reason,  too,  why  the  Lord  spake  to  them  by 
parables,  and  did  not  explain  their  meaning  to  them;  lest, 
as  he  himself  says,  'seeing  they  should  see,  and  hearing 
they  should  hear  and  understand.'  For  the  same  reason, 
likewise,  all  the  mysteries  of  faith  were  hid  from  them,  and 
concealed  under  the  representatives  of  their  church;  and 
for  the  same  reason,  the  style  of  the  prophetic  writings  was 
in  like  manner  dark  and  obscure."  A  further  and  melan- 
choly illustration  of  these  principles,  we  shall  have  to 
adduce  as  we  proceed. 

I  come  now  to  the  consideration  of  a  third  popular  ob- 
jection, which  is.  That  such  knowledge,  with  respect  to  the 
other  world,  leaves  no  room  for  the  exercise  of  faith. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  133 

The  Essays,  however,  observe  in  one  place,  ''The  sys- 
tem furnishes  abundant  matter  of  faith;"  in  another  place, 
"It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  the  trial  of  our  faith,  humil- 
ity, and  candor,  in  assenting  on  sufficient  authority  to  mys- 
terious doctrines,  is  a  worthy  and  fit  purpose  for  which 
such  doctrines  may  be  revealed.  This  is  undoubtedly 
true,  and  the  purpose  may  even  be  reckoned  a  practical 
one,  since  so  good  a  moral  effect  results  from  such  belief. 
If,  therefore,  none  of  the  doctrines  necessary  to  be  revealed 
for  other  practical  purposes,  were  of  such  a  mysterious 
character  as  to  serve  for  trials  of  faith  also,  we  might  per- 
haps expect  that  some  things  should  be  proposed  to  our 
belief,  solely  and  singly  for  this  latter  purpose.  But  if 
both  objects  can  be  fully  accomplished  by  the  same  revela- 
tion; if  our  faith  be  sufficiently  tried  by  the  admission  of 
such  mysterious  doctrines  as  are  important  for  other  prac- 
tical ends  also;  then  the  revelation  of  any  further  mys- 
teries, which  lead  to  no  such  practical  end,  is  the  less 
necessary,  and  consequently  to  be  expected."  This  ar- 
gument, as  applied  to  Swedenborg,  is  good  only  upon  the 
ground,  that  his  revelations  serve  to  try  our  faith,  but  have 
no  other  practical  purposes;  and  this  ground  it  is  upon 
which,  I  presume,  the  objection  is  maintained,  that  "his 
system  furnishes  abundant  matter  of  faith,  and  food  for 
curiosity,  but  has  little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to  prac- 
tice." 

Nothing  is  more  remarkable  in  the  history  of  the  objec- 
tions urged  against  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  than  their 
contradictory  nature.  The  force  of  the  argument  just 
quoted,  consists  in  this,  that  the  pretended  revelations  of 
Swedenborg  present  to  us  only  a  trial  of  faith.  Now,  a 
not  unfrequent  objection  against  him  is,  that  he  leaves  no 
room  for  this  trial;  that,  even  in  his  revelations,  he  endea- 
vors to  explain  every  thing,  to  introduce  reason  too  much 
into  divine  things,  to  make  divine  mysteries  too  rational 
and  intelligible,  and  thus  to  abolish  blind  faith  to  too  great 
an  extent:  and,  were  I  disposed  to  advocate  the  cause  of 
faith,  in  the  manner  in  which  sometimes  it  is  done,  this  is 
a  line  of  argument  I  should  adopt;  for  if  it  be  true,  that  a 
state  of  darkness  is  best  suited  to  a  state  of  probation,  then, 
inasmuch  as  we  are,  in  this  world,  undoubtedly  placed  in 
a  state  of  probation,  a  higher  degree  of  knowledge  is  un- 
suited  to  our  condition;  and,  consequently,  there  is  a  good 
a  priori  argument  against  any  attempt  to  introduce  further 
light.  The  very  supposition,  however,  that  Swedenborg's 
12 


134  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

revelations  afford  abundant  matter  only  for  faith,  credulity, 
or  belief,  without  adequate  evidence,  appears  to  be,  in  some 
cases,  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of  his  aiming  at  presump- 
tuous knowledge,  inasmuch  as  a  presumptuous  knowledge 
supposes  the  understanding  of  that,  which  a  blind  faith 
presumes  to  be  unintelligible.  It  is  true  that  St.  Paul  says, 
"we  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight;"  nevertheless,  there 
is  one  sense  in  which  faith  itself  is  sight,  inasmuch  as  the 
Christian  has  faith  in  the  truths  of  salvation,  because  he 
wills  and  understands  them;  his  eyes  having  been  opened, 
he  is  enabled  to  say,  "one  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I 
was  blind,  now  I  see."  Faith,  therefore,  may  be  the  same 
with  knowledge,  namely,  with  a  saving  knowledge;  in 
which  case,  the  Christian  does  not  yield  an  assent  to  that 
which  he  does  not  understand,  but  to  that  which  he  does. 
Know  what  he  may,  there  will  always  be  something  beyond 
his  knowledge;  the  more  he  knows,  the  more  will  he  see 
that  the  less  he  knows;  and  the  more  scope  therefore  will 
he  have,  for  exercising  a  confidence  in  his  Savior,  with 
regard  to  that,  the  nature  and  design  of  which  he  does  not 
yet  perceive.  A  state  of  absolute  ignorance,  therefore,  is 
not  so  consistent  with  a  state  of  probation,  as  a  state  of 
light.  There  is  nothing  that  tries  us  like  truth.  It  is  only 
in  proportion  as  we  know  the  truth,  and  endeavor  to  prac- 
tise it,  that  we  become  subject  to  temptation.  Knowledge, 
therefore,  not  ignorance,  is,  in  this  sense,  the  best  suited 
to  a  state  of  probation.  The  Christian,  who  is  far  advan- 
ced in  spiritual  truth,  has  many  more  trials  than  the  one 
who  is  comparatively  ignorant;  and  the  farther  he  advan- 
ces, the  greater  are  his  trials,  until  he  has  finally  found  his 
rest.  It  is  true  that,  for  most  wise  and  merciful  purposes, 
spiritual  darkness  occasionally  overtakes  him;  but  then  it 
comes  to  him  not  as  the  state  in  which  God  designed  him 
to  live,  but  as  one  of  the  trials  of  that  state,  and  as  one  of 
the  means  which  God  uses  for  the  purpose  of  introducing 
him,  even  in  this  world,  into  a  greater  degree  of  light. 
For  this  spiritual  darkness  is  produced  by  the  operation  of 
infernal  powers,  and  God  never  designed  that  we  should 
live  continually  under  their  influence;  although  out  of  evil 
he  brings  good,  from  darkness  he  educes  light.  So  far, 
however,  from  the  present  darkness  of  the  Christian  world 
being  to  them  a  state  of  trial  or  probation,  the  case  is  un- 
fortunately the  reverse;  "they  love  darkness  rather  than 
light."  It  is  true,  the  Christian  does  not  thus  love  it,  but 
that  he  desires  further  light.     Unhappily,   however,  he  is 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  135 

told,  that  it  is  presumption  to  desire  it;  that  it  is  aiming  at 
forbidden  knowledge;  and  that  he  ought  to  be  content  with 
his  state.  Certain,  however,  it  is,  that  in  proportion  as 
we  are  ignorant  of  God,  and  of  the  nature  of  Heaven  and 
Hell,  we  are  ignorant  of  our  own  hearts;  and  the  Almighty 
could  no  more  design  us  to  be  ignorant  of  Him,  and  of  the 
nature  of  Heaven  and  Hell,  than  he  could  design  us  to  be 
ignorant  of  ourselves.  As,  however,  we  shall  have  occa- 
sion to  advert  to  this  subject,  more  or  less  directly,  in  other 
parts  of  our  letter, — 

Let  us  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  fourth  objec- 
tion, which  is  very  nearly  connected  with  the  foregoing; — 
That  were  such  knowledge  useful,  God  would  long  since 
have  revealed  it. 

This  argument  is  very  common,  and  arises  out  of,  what 
I  humbly  conceive  to  be,  a  fundamental  error  with  regard 
to  the  Divine  Providence,  or  His  moral  government  of  the 
world.  All  the  dispensations  of  Providence  are  introduced, 
not  arbitrarily  and  independently  of  human  nature,  but  in 
relation  to  its  state.  This  principle,  like  others,  is  in  gen- 
eral theoretically  admitted,  but  practically  denied.  God 
does  not  impart  or  withhold  divine  knowledge  from  an  ar- 
bitrary exercise  of  his  will;  but,  whether  he  imparts  or 
withholds,  he  does  so  in  relation  to  the  state  of  human 
nature.  The  same  law,  therefore,  by  which  he  regulates 
his  dispensations  in  general,  operates  in  regulating  the  de- 
gree of  divine  knowledge  imparted,  under  a  given  dispen- 
sation, to  any  single  individual.  He  adapts  his  general 
dispensations  of  knowledge  to  the  general  state  of  the 
world;  and  his  particular  dispensations  of  knowledge, 
under  the  general,  to  the  state  of  the  individual;  and  as 
individuals  may  not  be  in  a  proper  state  to  receive  that  Di- 
vine Wisdom  which  would  otherwise  be  imparted  to  them, 
so  also  may  any  number  of  individuals,  or  the  church. 
When  Adam  was  driven  out  of  Paradise,  he  was  prevented 
from  eating  of  the  tree  of  life;  and  why?  Because,  as  we 
have  seen,  he  was  not  in  a  proper  state  to  partake  of  it. 
He  himself,  therefore,  and  not  God,  was  the  jjrimarij  cause 
of  Divine  W^isdom  being  withheld  tVom  him.  But  suppose 
that,  having  left  paradise,  he  should  reason  within  himself 
and  say,  "I  am  in  darkness,  it  is  true;  but  this  is  the  state 
in  which  God  designed  me  to  live:  had  he  thought  fit  for 
me  to  know  more,  he  would  have  revealed  it." — Who  does 
not  see  that,  in  this  reasoning,  there  is  both  truth  and  un- 
truth.^    Truth,  because  it  certainly  is  the  design  of  Provi- 


136  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

dence  that  he  should  not  know  more,  so  long  as  he  contin- 
ues in  that  evil  principle  which  was  the  occasion  of  his  fall; 
untruth,  because  it  was  not  the  original  design  of  Provi- 
dence that  man  should  be  separated  from  him,  and  conse- 
quently live  in  ignorance.  If  he  argues  from  his  ignorance 
as  a  state  originally  designed  by  God,  is  he  not  attributing 
to  Divine  Providence  the  consequences  of  his  own  evil? 

There  is  no  doubt  that,  had  further  knowledge  been  use- 
ful to  mankind  at  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation, God  would  have  revealed  it;  but  what  would  not 
have  been  useful  to  the  world  eighteen  centuries  ago,  may 
be  useful  to  it  nov/.  The  state  of  one  portion  of  the  world, 
at  least,  has  immensely  changed  since  that  period.  The 
progress  of  science  is  itself  a  proof  of  a  revolution  in  the 
intellectual  faculties;  and  education  has  made,  and  in  all 
probability  will  continue  to  make,  the  human  mind  more 
receptive  of  natural  and  spiritual  truth,  than  it  had  ever 
been  previously.  Experience,  however,  has  proved,  that 
when  men  have  been  accustomed  to  a  given  degree  of 
light,  however  feeble,  a  greater  degree  becomes  unpleas- 
ant. They  love  that  to  which  they  are  habituated,  only 
because  they  have  been  habituated  to  it.  It  is,  in  this  re- 
spect, the  same  with  spiritual  as  with  natural  light;  after 
having  long  been  withheld,  its  return  is  painful.  We 
prefer  the  shadows  and  dimness  of  obscurity.  It  is  more 
adapted  to  the  weakness  of  our  vision.  The  longer  it  lasts, 
the  more  are  there  among  us  to  testify  in  its  favor.  We 
begin  to  see  advantages  arising  from  it,  which  we  should 
not  enjoy  in  a  state  of  light.  A  state  of  darkness,  we  say, 
for  instance,  appears  to  be  best  suited  to  a  state  of  proba- 
tion. The  duller  our  vision,  the  more  opportunity  have  we 
for  the  exercise  of  faith;  the  more  reason  have  we  to  be 
humbled  by  a  sense  of  our  ignorance;  and  the  more  occa- 
sion have  we  to  be  thankful  for  our  humility.  Thus,  in 
the  case  of  the  boy  born  blind  and  couched  by  Mr.  Ches- 
elden,  we  read  that,  "Before  he  was  couched,  he  expected 
little  advantage  from  seeing,  worth  undergoing  an  opera- 
tion for,  except  reading  and  writing;  for  he  said,  he 
thought  he  could  have  no  more  pleasure  in  walking  abroad, 
than  he  had  in  the  garden,  which  he  could  do  very  safely 
and  readily.  And  even  blindness,  he  observed,  had  this 
advantage,  that  he  could  go  any  where  in  the  dark  much 
better  than  those  who  can  see;  and  after  he  had  seen,  he 
did  not  soon  lose  this  quality,  nor  desire  a  light  to  go  about 
the  house  in  the  night." — We  observe,   then,  that,    ante- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  137 

cedently  to  argument  upon  the  subject,  there  is  a  predis- 
position in  human  nature  to  reject  any  greater  light  than 
that  to  which  it  is  habituated;  and  therefore,  in  reasoning 
upon  the  subject,  every  one  is  bound  to  bear  this  circum- 
stance in  mind;  and,  while  he  is  opposing  what  he  consid- 
ers to  be  false  knowledge,  to  beware  lest,  at  any  time,  he 
be  unconsciously  misled  by  the  evil  tendencies  of  his  own 
nature,  and  oppose  that  which  is  true. 

When,  therefore,  in  the  Essays,  the  Christian  would 
refer  the  infidel  to  Scripture,  and  bid  him  ask  why  Scrip- 
ture has  said  "nothing  of  the  new  bodies  with  which  men 
shall  arise,  of  the  glories  that  shall  be  revealed  in  heaven, 
or  has  not  given  any  account  at  all  (or  at  least  any  from 
which  a  decisive  conclusion  can  be  drawn,)  of  the  condi- 
tion in  which  men  are  to  remain  during  the  interval  be- 
tween death  and  the  resurrection,"  might  it  not  be  replied 
to  the  Christian  by  some  fellow-believer,  "You  yourself 
have  admitted,  in  arguing  against  the  infidel,  that  the  dis- 
pensations of  God  are  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  world;  if, 
therefore,  no  revelation  of  these  circumstances  has  been 
made,  it  may  argue  that  mankind  have  not  hitherto  been  in 
a  state  fit  to  receive  it;  that,  in  such  a  case,  a  revelation 
might  have  been  useless,  or  even  injurious;  but  it  does  not 
prove  that  the  state  of  man  will  never  change;  and,  conse- 
quently, that  there  may  not  be  a  time  when  such  a  revela- 
tion may  be  useful,  and  even  necessary. — Indeed,  this  is 
the  same  kind  of  a  priori  argument,  which  Paley  has  urged 
against  the  unbeliever,  at  the  commencement  of  his  evi- 
dences of  Christianity;  where  he  has  reasoned  from  the 
state  of  mankind  to  the  probability  or  improbability  of  a 
Divine  revelation.  The  silence  of  Scripture,  therefore,  if 
it  be  silent,  may  serve  to  shew  the  unfitness  of  man,  at  a 
given  period,  to  receive  further  light;  but  not  a  predeter- 
mination of  God,  under  no  circumstances  whatever  to  im- 
part it. 

The  question,  therefore,  is,  whether  mankind  be  in  such  a 
state  as  to  render  a  revelation  respecting  another  world  de- 
sirable; whether  there  may  not  be  thus  an  a  priori  argu- 
ment in  favor  of  such  a  revelation.  I  believe  there  is;  nay, 
that  there  is  an  absolute  necessity  for  such  a  revelation. 
At  all  events,  the  reader  should  know,  that  this  is  the 
ground  upon  which  Swedenborg  places  the  question;  that 
practical  utility  is  insisted  upon  by  him,  as  the  sole  end  and 
origin  of  all  his  alleged  revelations  with  regard  to  the  other 
world.  He  declares,  what  observation  and  experience 
12* 


138  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

verify,  that,  throughout  Christendom,  there  is  a  vast  mass 
of  scepticism  with  regard  to  the  existence  of  a  future  state; 
nay,  of  positive  infideUty.  That  even  among  the  better 
portion  of  Christians,  there  is  much  avowed  ignorance  with 
regard  to  its  nature,  consequently,  many  false  and  delusive 
views  prevailing,  which  are  misleading  their  tens  of  thou- 
sands; and  that  this  revelation  was  made  by  the  mercy  of 
the  Lord,  in  order  that  mankind  might  no  longer  abide  in 
that  deplorable  darkness,  doubt,  and  delusion  upon  the  sub- 
ject, in  which  they  had  been  living.  The  removal  of  error, 
therefore,  is  one  grand  object  of  Swedenborg's  professed 
revelations;  and,  assuredly,  this  removal  is  a  work  of  prac- 
tical utility. 

Now,  I  do  not  call  upon  the  reader  to  believe  in  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  from  Swedenborg's  works,  in  regard  to 
Heaven  and  Hell,  as  containing  truths;  he  is  quite  at  liber- 
ty to  reject  them,  and  to  consider  them  as  a  delusion:  it 
will  be  sufficient  for  my  argument,  if  I  quote  them  only  for 
the  purpose  of  shewing,  that,  not  the  gratification  of  curi- 
osity or  a  spirit  of  presumption,  but,  practical  utility,  was 
the  end  for  which  his  revelations  on  that  subject  were 
written;  and  if  the  quotations  be  a  proof  of  this  fact,  it  is 
all  I  intend  by  introducing  them.  Swedenborg  observes, 
then,  (Heaven  and  Hell,  Article  312,) 

"  It  hath  been  given  me  to  hold  consort  with  the  angels, 
and,  likewise,  to  discourse  with  those  who  are  in  hell,  and 
this  now  for  several  years,  sometimes  continually  from 
morning;  to  evenincr,  and  thus  to  gain  information  concern- 
ing  Heaven  and  Hell,  which  is  granted  with  a  vievv'  to  pre- 
vent the  man  of  the  church  from  continuing  any  longer  in 
his  erroneous  faith  concerning  resurrection  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  the  intermediate  state  of  the  soul,  as  also 
concerning  angels  and  the  devil;  which  faith,  inasmuch  as 
it  is  a  faith  in  what  is  false,  involves  darkness;  and,  with 
those  who  think  on  the  above  subjects  from  their  own  proper 
intelligence,  induces  doubt,  and  at  length  denial:  for  they 
say  in  their  hearts,  how  can  so  extended  a  heaven,  with  so 
many  constellations,  with  the  sun  too  and  the  moon,  be  de- 
stroyed and  dissipated?  And  how  can  the  stars  at  that 
time  fall  from  heaven  to  the  earth,  when  yet  they  are  great- 
er than  the  earth?  And  how  can  bodies,  eaten  up  by  worms, 
consumed  by  putridity,  and  dispersed  before  every  wind,  be 
gathered  together  again  to  their  soul?  Where,  in  the  mean 
time,  is  the  soul,  and  what  is  its  quality,  when  without  the 
sense  which  it   had  in  the  body.^ — not  to  mention  several 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  139 

similar  inquiries,  which,  inasmuch  as  they  relate  to  things 
incomprehensible,  cannot  become  objects  of  faith,  and  in 
several  instances  destroy  faith  concerning  the  life  of  the 
soul  after  death,  and  concerning  heaven  and  hell,  and,  with 
those  subjects,  others  appertaining  to  the  faith  of  the  church. 
That  they  have  destroyed  faith,  is  evident  from  those  who 
say,  Who  hath  ever  come  from  heaven,  and  told  us  that  it 
is  so?  What  is  hell? — and  is  there  any  such  place?  What 
is  meant  by  man  being  tormented  in  eternal  fire?  What  is 
the  day  of  judgment,  which  hath  been  expected  for  so  many 
ages? — not  to  mention  several  other  cases,  which  imply  a 
denial  of  all  such  things.  Lest,  therefore,  they  who  enter- 
tain such  ideas,  (as  is  the  case  with  great  numbers,  who, 
by  reason  of  their  worldly  wisdom,  are  called  learned  and 
well  informed,)  should  any  longer  disturb  and  seduce  the 
simple  in  faith  and  heart,  and  should  induce  infernal  dark- 
ness respecting  God,  heaven,  eternal  life,  and  other  things 
in  connection  with  them,  the  interiors  of  my  spirit  have 
been  opened  by  the  Lord;  and  thus  it  hath  been  given  me 
to  discourse  with  all  whom  I  have  ever  been  acquainted 
with  in  the  life  of  the  body,  after  their  decease,  &c.  &lc. 
Several  of  those  who  were  recently  dead,  when  they  saw 
themselves  living  men  as  before,  and  in  a  similar  state,  (for 
after  death  every  one's  first  state  of  life  is  such  as  it  had 
been  in  the  world,  but  is  successively  changed  with  him, 
either  into  heaven  or  hell,)  were  affected  with  new  joy  at 
finding  themselves  alive,  and  declared  that  they  had  not  be- 
lieved this;  but  were  much  surprised  that  they  should  have 
lived  in  such  ignorance  and  blindness,  concerning  the  state 
of  their  life  after  death,  and,  especially,  that  the  men  of  the 
church  are  in  such  ignorance  and  blindness,  when  yet  they, 
above  all  others  in  the  universal  terrestrial  globe,  might 
have  been  enlightened  on  those  subjects.  On  this  occa- 
sion, they  first  discovered  the  cause  of  that  blindness  and 
ignorance:  that  it  is  owing  to  external  things,  which  relate 
to  the  world  and  to  the  body,  occupying  and  filling  their 
minds  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  render  them  incapable  of  be- 
ing elevated  into  the  light  of  heaven,  and  of  viewing  the 
things  of  the  church  beyond  doctrinals;  for,  from  corporeal 
and  worldly  things,  when  they  are  loved  in  the  degree  in 
which  they  are  loved  at  this  day,  there  is  an  influx  of  mere 
darkness,  which  obstructs  the  passage  to  higher  light." 

There  is  one  more  extract  which  I  will  add,  though  it  be 
rather  a  long  one,  because  it  bears  directly  upon  the  subject 
of  practical  utility,  and  contains  a  further  reply  to  the  argu» 


140  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

ments  adduced  in  the  Essays,  concerning  the  silence  of 
St.  Paul,  and  the  alleged  silence  of  Scripture,  in  regard  to 
some  of  those  subjects  of  which  Swedenborg  has  treated. 
In  this  extract,  Swedenborg  affirms,  (Universal  Theology, 
Article  768,)  "  That  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  a  com- 
ing to  destroy  the  visible  heaven  and  the  habitable  earth, 
and  to  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  according  to 
the  opinions  which  many,  from  not  understanding  the  spir- 
itual sense  of  the  Word,  have  hitherto  entertained.  It  is," 
says  he,  "the  prevailing  opinion  at  this  day,  in  every 
church,  that  the  Lord,  when  he  comes  to  the  last  judgment, 
will  appear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  angels,  and  the 
sound  of  trumpets;  that  he  will  gather  together  all  who  are 
then  dwelling  on  the  earth,  as  well  as  all  who  are  deceased, 
and  will  separate  the  evil  from  the  good,  as  a  shepherd  sep- 
arates the  goats  from  the  sheep;  that  he  will  then  cast  the 
evil,  or  the  goats,  into  hell,  and  raise  up  the  good,  or  the 
sheep,  into  heaven;  and,  further,  that  He  will,  at  the  same 
time,  create  a  new  visible  heaven,  and  a  new  habitable 
earth;  and  that  on  the  latter.  He  will  cause  a  city  to  de- 
scend, which  is  to  be  called  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  is  to 
be  built  according  to  the  description  given  in  the  Revela- 
tion, (chap,  xxi,)  of  jasper  and  gold;  and  the  foundation  of 
its  walls,  of  every  precious  stone;  its  height,  breadth  and 
length  being  equal,  each  twelve  thousand  furlongs;  and 
that  all  the  elect  are  to  be  gathered  together  into  this  city, 
both  those  who  are  then  alive,  and  those  who  have  died 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world;  and  that  the  latter  will 
then  return  into  their  bodies,  and  enjoy  everlasting  bliss  in 
that  magnificent  city,  as  in  their  heaven.  This  is  the  pre- 
vailing opinion  of  the  present  day,  in  all  Christian  churches, 
on  the  coming  of  the  Lord  and  the  last  judgment." — 769. 
"  In  regard  to  the  state  of  souls  after  death,  both  universal- 
ly and  particularly,  it  is  the  common  belief,  at  this  day, 
that  human  souls,  after  death,  are  mere  aerial  beings,  of 
which  it  is  impossible  to  form  any  idea  but  as  of  a  vapor  or 
exhalation,  and  that  such  being  their  state  and  nature,  they 
are  reserved  to  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  either  in  the 
middle  of  the  earth,  w^here  (as  it  is  called  by  some)  is  their 
Pu,  (^«,)  or  in  the  Umbus  of  the  ancient  Fathers.  But  on 
these  points  there  are  various  opinions;  some  suppose  them 
to  be  ethereal  or  aerial  forms,  and  thus  that  they  are  like 
ghosts  and  spectres,  certain  of  them  dwelling  in  the  air, 
others  in  woods,  and  others  in  waters.  Some,  again,  sup- 
pose that   the  souls  of  the   deceased   arc   translated  to  the 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  141 

planets  or  to  the  stars,  and  there  have  their  abodes  allotted 
to  them;  and  some,  again,  that  after  thousands  of  years 
they  return  back  into  material  bodies;  but  the  general  sup- 
position is,  that  they  are  reserved  for  the  time  when  the 
whole  firmament,  together  with  the  terraqueous  globe,  will 
be  destroyed;  and  that  this  is  to  be  effected  by  lire,  either 
bursting  from  the  centre  of  the  earth,  or  cast  down  from 
heaven  in  an  universal  blaze  of  lightning;  that  then  the 
graves  will  be  opened,  and  the  souls  that  were  reserved 
will  be  clothed  again  with  their  bodies,  and  be  translated 
into  that  holy  city,  Jerusalem,  there  to  dwell  together  on 
another  earth  in  purified  bodies,  some  in  a  lower  region, 
some  in  a  higher;  for  the  height  of  the  city  will  be  twelve 
thousand  furlongs,  the  same  as  its  length  and  breadth, 
(Rev.  xxi.)" — 770.  "When  a  clergyman  or  layman  is 
asked,  whether  he  firmly  believes  all  these  things,  as  that 
the  antediluvians,  along  with  Adam  and  Eve,  and  the  post- 
diluvians,  with  Noah  and  his  sons,  and  also  that  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  with  all  the  prophets  and  the  apostles, 
are,  in  like  manner,  as  the  souls  of  all  other  men,  still  reserv- 
ed in  the  middle  of  the  earth,  or  flying  about  in  the  ether, 
or  air;  and  also,  whether  he  believes  that  their  souls  will 
be  again  clothed  with  their  bodies,  and  again  enter  into 
connection  with  carcasses  eaten  by  worms,  by  mice,  by  fish, 
or,  (as  in  the  case  of  Egyptian  mummies,)  by  men,  and  with 
skeletons  parched  in  the  sun,  and  reduced  to  powder;  and, 
further,  whether  he  believes  that  the  stars  of  heaven  will 
fall  upon  the  earth,  which  yet  is  smaller  than  any  of  them; 
if  clergymen  or  laymen,  I  say,  be  asked  whether  they  be- 
lieve all  this,  or  whether  such  conceits  are  not  mere  para- 
doxes, which,  like  all  other  contradictory  notions,  are  dis- 
pelled and  dissipated  by  right  reason,  some  of  them  will 
make  no  reply;  some  will  insist  that  such  points  are  mat- 
ters of  faith,  to  which  the  understanding  must  be  kept  in 
obedience;  some,  again,  will  argue,  that  not  only  these 
things,  but  also  many  others,  which  are  above  the  compre- 
hension of  reason,  are  works  of  Divine  omnipotence;  and 
when  they  mention  faith  and  omnipotence,  sound  reason  is 
banished,  and  either  disappears  like  a  thing  annihilated,  or 
becomes  like  a  spectre,  and  is  called  insanity:  to  this  they 
will  add,  'Are  not  such  opinions  agreeable  to  the  Word.'' 
and  ought  not  that  to  be  the  rule  and  measure  of  our 
thoughts  and  speech.?'  " — 771.  "That  the  word,  as  to  the 
letter,  is  written  by  appearances  and  correspondences, 
and  thus,  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  contained  in  each 


142  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

expression,  in  which  sense  truth  appears  in  its  light,  whilst 
the  sense  of  the  letter  is  in  shade,  has  been  already  shewn 
in  the  chapter  on  the  Sacred  Scripture.  Lest,  therefore, 
the  members  of  the  New  Church  should  wander,  like  those 
of  the  old,  in  the  shade  of  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word, 
particularly  on  the  subjects  of  Heaven  and  Hell,  and  of  a 
life  after  death,  and  on  this  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  it 
has  pleased  the  Lord  to  open  the  sight  of  my  spirit,  and 
thus  to  let  me  into  the  spiritual  world,  permitting  me  not 
only  to  converse  with  spirits  and  angels,  and  with  my  rela- 
tions and  friends,  nay,  with  kings  and  princes  who  have  de- 
parted out  of  the  natural  world;  but  also  to  behold  the  stu- 
pendous sights  of  heaven,  and  the  miserable  scenes  of  hell; 
demonstrating,  by  this,  that  man  does  not  live  after  death 
in  any  region  of  the  earth  called  Pu,  nor  flit  about  blind 
and  dumb  in  air,  or  in  emptiness,  but  that  he  lives  a  man 
in  a  substantial  body,  and  in  a  far  more  perfect  state,  if  he 
goes  among  the  blessed,  than  when  he  lived  before  in  a  ma- 
terial body.  To  prevent  man  from  plunging  deeper  into 
this  false  opinion,  of  the  destruction  of  the  visible  heaven 
and  the  habitable  earth,  and  thereby  of  the  spiritual  world, 
in  consequence  of  that  ignorance  which  has  given  I'ise  to  so 
much  naturalism  and  atheism;  and,  to  prevent  such  natu- 
ralism and  atheism  from  spreading,  as  a  mortification  in  a 
limb,  through  man's  external  mind,  whence  his  speech 
originates,  in  like  manner  as  they  have  already  begun  to 
affect  and  take  root  in  the  interior  rational  mind,  especially 
among  the  learned,  I  have  been  enjoined  by  the  Lord  to 
publish  some  of  the  various  circumstances  of  what  I  have 
seen  and  heard,  as  well  concerning  Heaven  and  Hell,  as 
the  Last  Judgment;  and  also  to  unfold  the  Apocalypse, 
which  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  of  the  former  heaven,  of 
the  new  heaven,  and  of  the  Holy  Jerusalem;  which,  when 
read  and  understood,  will  enable  every  one  to  see  what  is 
there  meant  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  by  the  new  heaven, 
and  by  the  New  Jerusalem." 

Now,  whether  the  narratives  of  Swedenborg,  with  regard 
to  Heaven  and  Hell,  be  true  or  untrue,  enough  has  been 
said  to  convince  every  candid  and  impartial  mind,  that,  in 
publishing  them,  he  had  at  least  a  practical  end  in  view.  In 
the  time  of  St.  Paul,  the  perversions  of  truth  above  alluded 
to,  did  not  exist  as  they  do  now.  The  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity had  then  only  begun  to  be  preached;  the  corrup- 
tions of  these  doctrines  were  the  work  principally  of  sub- 
sequent  ages.     There   could  not  have  been,  therefore,  in 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  143 

his  time,  those  reasons  for  further  revelation  upon  the  sub- 
ject, which  there  are  now.  I  am  convinced  that  this  argu- 
ment will  weigh  with  every  candid  and  impartial  person, 
who  is  not  predetermined,  at  all  hazards,  to  reject  every 
thing  that  militates  against  his  own  views.  At  all  events,  I 
submit,  that  the  extracts  above  quoted,  are  a  complete  re- 
futation of  the  assertion,  that  the  alleged  revelations  of 
Swedenborg  have  little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to  prac- 
tice. Such  an  assertion  can  be  supported  only  upon  the 
ground,  that  the  subject  of  Heaven  and  Hell  is  one  of  no 
importance  to  mankind;  that  it  matters  not  what  views  they 
entertain  upon  it;  and,  consequently,  that  all  which  can  be 
said  upon  it,  whether  true  or  false,  is  equally  non-practical. 
Such  a  principle,  the  distinguished  author  of  the  Essays 
cannot  mean  to  advocate;  and  if  he  does  not,  his  argument 
is  at  an  end. 

This  brings  us  to  the  last  objection, — That  we  are  not 
warranted  by  Scripture  to  presume  that  any  further  revela- 
tion will  be  made. 

Swedenborg  informs  us,  as  we  have  partly  seen  from 
what  has  been  just  quoted,  that  a  state  has  been  superin- 
duced upon  the  church,  which  called  for  Divine  interfer- 
ence. Now,  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  present  argument, 
to  assume  that  what  he  has  said  is  true;  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  observe,  that  the  degeneracy  of  the  church  is  a  subject 
which  the  Essays  have  omitted;  an  omission  which  is  the 
more  remarkable,  as  the  author  has  there  addressed  him- 
self to  the  unbeliever;  and  it  is  a  point  upon  which  the  lat- 
ter would  particularly  fasten,  before  the  argument  could 
have  any  weight  with  him.  It  is  acknowledged,  that  the 
Essays  do  not  profess  to  meet  all  the  objections  of  infidels, 
nor  is  it  to  be  expected  that  they  should;  but,  in  the  par- 
ticular arguments  which  are  adduced,  a  fact  is  omitted, 
which,  if  true,  most  materially  affects  the  conclusion,  at 
least  in  regard  to  Swedenborg.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  ob- 
jection we  are  now  considering,  is  of  no  avail  with  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  Christian  community.  I  say  not 
haw  far  the  expectations  are  justifiable  by  Scripture;  but 
this  I  say,  that  no  small  portion  of  the  clergy  believe  that 
plain  indications  are  given  in  Scripture  of  a  further  revela- 
tion, and  that  such  a  revelation  has  been  required  by  the 
state  of  the  church.  This  conviction  prevails,  not  only 
among  many  of  the  clergy,  but  among  many  of  the  laity; 
and,  I  ask,  which  expectation  is  the  more  rational,  that  the 
Jews  are  to  return  to  Jerusalem;  that  the  Messiah  is  to 


144  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

appear  among  us  in  person;  and  that  the  saints  are  to  reign 
with  him  a  thousand  years  upon  earth? — or,  that  the  state 
of  man  will  undergo  a  progressive  amelioration;  that  edu- 
cation will  gradually  extend,  and  ignorance  disappear; 
that  revelation  will  sanctity  science,  and  convert  it  from 
the  sordid  uses  of  the  world,  to  that  of  opening  new  won- 
ders of  Almighty  wisdom;  that  the  spiritual,  moral,  and 
intellectual  faculties  of  man  will  thus  all  he  enlarged;  that 
the  mysteries  of  the  Divine  dispensations  will  be  more  fully 
revealed;  that,  at  the  sound  of  the  Gospel-trump,  the  dead 
shall  be  awakened  from  sin  to  newness  of  life,  and  thus  to 
inward  communion  with  God  and  his  holy  angels;  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  shall  be  established  within  the  soul; 
and  that  the  tabernacle  of  God  shall  be  with  men;  that  he 
shall  dwell  with  them;  that  they  shall  be  his  people,  and 
God  himself  shall  be  with  them  and  be  their  God?  Do  the 
nations  lie  so  dead  in  their  graves  that  their  state  is  hope- 
less? What  was  our  Lord's  gentle  rebuke  to  Mary? 
"Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou  wouldest  believe,  thou 
shouldest  see  the  glory  of  God?" — That  with  the  m.eans 
heretofore  used,  such  an  event  is  improbable,  I  grant;  but 
that  it  is  improbable,  if  other  means  are  adopted,  is  what 
we  can  scarcely  pronounce,  until  we  first  know  v/hat  those 
means  are.  And  this  I  will  say,  that,  when  I  look  to  the 
awful  and  sublime  truths  upon  this  subject  communicated 
by  Swedenborg;  to  the  searching  influence  they  exercise 
over  the  heart;  to  the  stupendous  means  they  reveal,  as 
employed  by  God  in  the  regeneration  of  the  soul;  to  the 
silent,  gentle,  heavenly  peace  they  diffuse  from  above;  and 
when  I  hear  that  name  associated  with  those  of  the  lowest 
fanatics,  or  the  grossest  impostors;  the  sorrow  of  my  heart 
finds  its  vent  only  in  those  words  of  the  "Savior,  "Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do!" 

Such,  then,  are  the  principal  objections  'which  are  com- 
monly urged  in  limine  against  any  further  revelations  with 
regard  to  another  world;  and  I  trust  that,  however  I  may 
have  failed  in  producing  hitherto  any  impression  in  favor 
of  the  possibility  of  additional  revelations,  I  have  not  said 
any  thing  to  justify  the  reader  in  believing,  that  I  have 
been  following  profane  and  old  wives'  fables.  If,  however, 
he  thinks  so,  I  beg  of  him  to  suspend  his  judgment  for  a 
while,  and  to  read  what  remains  to  be  adduced,  in  the  spirit 
of  that  prayer  in  which  he  says  to  God,  "Thy  kingdom 
come,  thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  the  heavens." 

Beside  these  positive  objections  to  the  alleged  revelations 


THE    SPIRITUAL.    WORLD.  145 

of  Swedenborg,  there  are  innumerable  obstacles  which 
stand  in  the  way  of  their  reception,  a  few  of  which  it  may- 
be desirable  to  notice.  First,  selfish  and  worldly  princi- 
ples; secondly,  ignorance  of  the  state  of  our  hearts;  thirdly, 
ignorance  of  the  nature  of  the  intermediate  state;  fourthly, 
unbelief  in  the  proximity  of  the  spiritual  world;  fifthly,  er- 
roneous views  of  divine  operations;  and,  lastly,  false  phi- 
losophy. 

The  nature  of  these  obstacles  I  propose  separately  to 
consider;  and,  in  so  doing,  shall  avail  myself  of  the  op- 
portunity of  gradually  unfolding  Swedenborg's  views  with 
regard  to  the  spiritual  world. 

We  begin,  then,  with  the  first  obstacle,  or  selfish  and 
worldly  principles;  by  which  I  mean  such  as  pertain  to  the 
natural  man  as  distinguished  from  the  spiritual. 

Whether  the  revelations  of  Swedenborg  are  true  or  un- 
true, one  thing  is  certain,  that,  in  proportion  as  a  man  is  wed- 
ded merely  to  the  things  of  time  and  sense,  he  is  unable 
rightly  to  understand  them.  I  do  not  here  speak  of  the  higher 
mysteries  he  has  unfolded  in  the  Word  of  God,  but  simply 
of  those  principles  of  his  philosophy  of  mind,  which  are  in 
immediate  connection  with  his  alleged  revelations  concern- 
ing the  nature  of  heaven  and  hell.  For  the  same  state 
which  prevents  a  man  from  understanding  the  spiritual 
sense  of  Scripture,  prevents  him  also  from  understanding 
the  constitution  of  his  own  mind,  and  vice  versa;  and  if  he 
is  ignorant  of  the  constitution  of  his  own  mind,  he  must  be 
ignorant  of  the  laws  and  constitution  of  the  heavenly  and 
infernal  kingdoms,  since  the  human  mind  is  itself  either  a 
heaven  or  a  hell;  and  thus,  according  to  the  principles  of 
Swedenborg,  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  constitution 
of  heaven  is  no  other  than  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  and 
constitution  of  the  mind  of  the  true  Christian. 

In  works  in  general  upon  this  subject,  we  see  precisely 
the  same  error  committed  as  in  works  of  theology.  Au- 
thors attribute  that  mystery  to  the  subject  which  they  might 
have  attributed  to  themselves,  and  which  arises  from  their 
own  wrong  method  of  investigation.  They  contemplate, 
for  instance,  the  phenomena  of  the  mind,  before  the  mind 
has  been  taught  how  to  originate  phenomena;  they  refer  to 
the  subjects  of  consciousness,  before  the  mind  has  been 
taught  how,  and  of  what,  to  be  conscious.  To  come  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  independently  of 
that  which  constitutes  the  faculty,  or  of  the  objects  upon 
which  the  faculties  are  exercised,  is  impossible.  No  fac- 
13 


146  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

ulty  of  reflection  will  enable  the  mind  to  see  that  which  is 
not  yet  in  it:  no  faculty  of  mind  can  see  itself  from  itself; 
nor  can  we  contemplate  lower  faculties  from  lower,  but 
only  from  higher.  Hence  we  cannot  see  the  natural  fac- 
ulties merely  from  the  natural,  but  only  from  the  spiritual; 
and  as  the  powers  of  the  natural  understanding  are  enlarg- 
ed by  the  acquisition  of  natural  truths,  so  can  the  powers 
of  the  spiritual  understanding  be  enlarged  only  by  the  ac- 
quisition of  spiritual  truths.  What  should  we  think  of  any 
attempt  to  understand  the  structure  and  functions  of  the 
human  eye,  independently  of  any  knowledge  of  the  laws  of 
optics,  or  even  of  the  existence  of  light  .^  And  who,  I  ask, 
or  what,  is  the  real  light  of  the  soul?  Is  it  not  He,  and 
He  alone,  who  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world .^  And  what  is  this  light.''  Not  a  merely  natural,  but 
a  spiritual,  a  celestial,  a  Divine  light.  Contemplated  in 
this  view,  the  constitution  of  the  human  mind  is  seen  un- 
folded, not  only  as  to  its  spiritual,  but  as  to  its  natural  pow- 
ers;* and  when  the  mind  is  thus  revealed  to  itself,  then, 

*  It  is  well  observed  in  His  Grace's  sermon  on  fke  Shepherds  at  Bethlehem, 
"V/e  should  rather  point  out  to  olyectors  that  what  is  revealed  is  jjractical  and 
not  speculative;  that  what  the  Scriptures  aie  concerned  with  is.  not  the  phi- 
losophy of  the  human  mind  in  iiself,  nor  yet  the  philosophy  of  the  Divine  nature 
in  itself;  but  (that  which  is  properly  religion)  the  relation  and  the  connection 
of  the  two  beings;  what  God  is  to  us,  what  he  lias  done  and  will  do  for  us,  and 
what  we  are  to  do  and  to  be  in  regard  to  Him."  To  this  remark  is  appended 
the  following  note  extracted  from  Hind's  History:  "All  religions  inquiry, 
strictly  speaking,  is  directed  to  the  nature  of  God  as  concerted  uith  man;  or, 
affain,  to  the  nature  and  condition  of  man  as  connected  with  God.  Metaphysi- 
cal discussions  on  the  Divine  nature,  similar  to  those  in  which  an  attempt  is 
made  to  analyze  or  arrange  the  principles  of  the  human  mind,  arc  sometimes 
indeed  confounded  with  religious  views,  but  are  really  compatible  with  ihe  n)cst 
complete  denial  of  all  religion.  Religious  obligation  arises  not  from  the  abso- 
lute nature  of  God,  but  from  its  relation  to  us." — No  author  exposes  the  folly  of 
such  speculations  more  than  Swedenborg;  hence  his  philosophy  differs  from 
that  of  odiers,  in  pointing  out  the  reci[)rocal  relations  between  the  Creator  and 
the  creature;  so  that  it  cannot  be  contrasted  with  practical  religion,  but  must 
be  identified  with  it.  This  is  the  distinguishing  feature  of  his  works.  The 
philosophy  of  the  human  mind  in  itself,  without  relation  to  God,  and  the  phi- 
losophy of  the  Divine  nature  in  itself,  without  relation  to  man,  he  maintains  to 
be  only  philosophy  falsely  so  called,  nay,  altogether  a  delusion.  If  the  reader 
will  pardon  Mr.  Law's  pleasantry  on  so  serious  a  subject,  the  following  extract 
may  illustrate  to  him  the  nature  of  th.e  principles  for  which,  here  and  in  the 
sequel,  we  contend.  "Modern  metaphysics,""  says  he,  "has  no  kno\\  ledge  of 
the  ground  and  nature  either  of  spirit  or  body,  but  supposes  them  not  only  with- 
out any  natural  relation,  but  essentially  contrary  to  one  another,  and  only  held 
together,  in  a  forced  conjunction,  by  the  arbitrary  will  of  God.  Nay,  if  you 
was  to  say — that  God  first  creates  a  soul  out  of  nothing,  and,  when  that  is  done, 
then  takes  an  understanding  faculty  and  puts  it  into  it;  after  that  adds  a  will, 
and  then  a  memory,  (all  as  independently  made  as  when  a  tailor  first  makes  the 
body  of  a  coat,  and  then  add  sleeves  or  pockets  to  it ; )— was  you  to  say  this,  the 
schools  of  Descartes,  Malebranche,  or  Locke,  could  have  nothing  to  say  against 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  147 

and  not  till  then,  in  reading  the  narratives  of  Swedenborg 
with  regard  to  Heaven  and  Hell,  it  has  the  internal  evidence 
of  its  own  being  in  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  what  it  reads: 
but  when  the  mind  is  closed,  when  it  is  shut  up  in  igno- 
rance of  itself,  it  neither  has,  nor  can  have,  any  such  evi- 
dence; the  heaven  it  reads  of,  is  as  unreal  to  it  as  its 
own  heavenly  state ;  the  hell  it  reads  of,  is  as  incompre- 
hensible to  it  as  the  mystery  of  its  own  evil  nature.  How 
unwisely  do  we  find  persons  arguing  upon  this  subject! 
*  Look,'  says  one  'to  the  constitution  of  the  human  mind; 
what  do  you  know  even  of  yourself.^  and  if  you  are  igno- 
rant of  that  which  you  yourself  are,  and  of  the  objects 
about  and  around  you,  how  can  you  be  so  presumptuous  as 
to  expect  to  know  things  of  a  higher  nature?'  But  may  I 
not  reply,  'My  Christian  friend,  if  you  are  so  much  in  the 
dark  upon  the  subject,  as  you  say  you  are,  how  do  you 
know  that  your  ignorance  of  higher  things  may  not  be  itself 
the  cause  of  your  ignorance  of  lower;  and  hence,  that  you 
may  be  confounding  consequences  with  causes?'  If  a  man 
will  not  receive  light,  of  course  he  cannot  see;  if  he  will 
not  receive  that  which  cometh  from  above,  of  course  he 
cannot  perceive  the  nature  of  that  which  is  below.  Sup- 
pose a  person  shut  up  in  the  dark  should  say,  "If  I  see  not 
the  objects  about  me,  nor  even  my  own  limbs,  how  pre- 
sumptuous must  I  be  to  think  of  knowing  any  thing  of  an 
object  which  is  so  many  millions  of  miles  distant  as  the  orb 
of  the  sun!"  Surely,  if  he  would  consent  to  admit  into  his 
chamber  the  light  of  the  sun,  that  which  he  imagines  to  be 
so  remote,  would  illustrate  to  him  the  objects  which  are 
near;   and,  above  all,  would  enable  him  to  see  himself 

Take,  for  example,  the  idea  of  eternity.  Most  persons 
think  it  impossible  for  us,  in  the  present  world,  to  be  able 
to  form  any  conception  of  what  it  is;  and  they  argue,  that 
if  it  be  so  difficult  for  us  to  form  a  just  conception  of  the 
nature  of  time  and  space,  how  much  more  difficult  must  it 
be  to  form  an  idea  of  eternity! — Certainly,  so  long  as  a 
man's  ideas  are  buried  in  the  conditions  of  time  and  space, 
it  is  impossible  that  he  should  have  any  just  idea  of  either; 

it.  And  the  thing  is  unavoidable;  for,  as  all  these  philosophers  were  so  far 
from  knowing  tiie  ground  of  nature,  how  it  is  a  birth  from  God,  and  all  crea- 
tures a  birth  from  nature  through  the  working  will  of  God,  in  and  by  the  pow- 
ers of  nature,  as  they  were  so  far  from  knowing  this,  as  to  hold  a  creation  out 
of  nothing — so  they  were  necessarily  excluded  from  every  fundamental  truth 
concerning  die  origin  either  of  body  or  spirit,  and  their  true  relation  to  one 
another.  For  a  creation  out  of  nothing  leaves  no  room  for  accounting  why  any 
thing  is  as  it  is.     (Law's  Spirit  of  Love,  first  part.) 


148  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

but  if  he  is  able  to  elevate  his  mind  above  these  conditions, 
it  is  not  impossible:  the  difficulty  does  not  lie  in  the  object 
of  the  thought,  but  in  the  thought  of  the  object,  that  is  to 
say,  in  the  natural  and  sensual  state  of  the  mind  which 
thinks;  for  if  a  true  idea  of  eternity  could  be  obtained,  and 
expressed  clearly  in  words,  the  merely  natural  mind  would 
no  more  comprehend  it,  than  if  the  attainment  of  the  idea 
were  impossible;  and  not  only  so,  but  the  ideas  which  it 
would  attach  to  any  words  describing  things  eternal,  would 
render  the  description  absurd.  The  merely  natural  man 
can  form  no  other  idea  of  eternity  than  as  of  an  endless 
duration  of  time;  hence,  when  he  speaks  of  predestination 
from  all  eternity,  he  introduces  into  his  idea  of  predestina- 
tion from  eternity,  the  very  idea  which  ought  to  be  excluded; 
for  in  eternity  there  is  no  time,  neither  is  there  any  duration, 
such  as  is  suggested  by  the  succession  of  his  natural 
thoughts.  Deprive,  however,  the  natural  mind  of  the 
natural  idea,  and  it  can  form  no  idea  at  all;  whereas,  a 
spiritual  mind  may  have  a  clear  and  distinct  idea  upon  the 
subject.  The  more  clear  and  the  more  distinct,  the  more 
correct;  though  it  may  never  be  adequate  to  the  subject. 
How,  then,  is  the  true  idea  of  eternity  to  be  attained.^ — 
Not  by  any  principles  of  self-intelligence;  not  by  any  ab- 
stractions of  thought  in  the  merely  natural  mind,  however 
profound;  but  by  an  elevation  of  the  soul  out  of  the  merely 
natural  into  a  spiritual  sphere;  by  a  life  above  the  conditions 
of  mere  time  and  space.  Until  this  be  effected,  the  mind 
remains  merely  natural;  and  how  can  a  man  abstract  his 
thoughts  from  that  which  he  himself  is.^  It  would  be  like 
abstracting  himself  from  himself  If  we  are  the  creatures 
of  time  and  sense,  our  thoughts  must  be  formed  according 
to  those  conditions.  The  simple-minded  Christian,  there- 
fore, "whose  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,"  may  arrive 
more  easily  at  the  true  idea  of  eternity,  than  the  profound- 
est  intellectual,  but  merely  natural  mind  that  ever  existed. 
The  idea  of  time  we  know  to  be  suggested  by  the  succession 
of  our  natural  thoughts  and  affections,  or  states  of  mind; 
in  like  manner,  the  idea  of  eternity  is  suggested  by  the 
succession  of  spiritual  thoughts  and  affections,  or  states  of 
mind,  according  to  the  order  in  which  they  take  place  in 
the  process  of  regeneration.  This  process,  however,  is  un- 
known; and  the  very  principle  upon  which  it  is  founded  is 
denied.  What  is  the  consequence.^  The  only  possible  way 
in  which  a  person  may  arrive  at  a  true  idea  of  eternity,  is 
closed  against  him;    and    no  wonder,    therefore,    that  the 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  149 

subject  should  be  supposed  to  be  involved  in  impenetrable 
mystery.  We  have  already  observed,  that,  in  the  course 
of  man's  regeneration,  one  state  of  good  and  truth  gives 
birth  to  another.  This  order,  then,  of  succession,  or  of 
spiritual  generation  and  birth,  is  that  which  suggests  the' 
true  idea  of  eternity;  being  the  same  with  that  of  pro- 
gression in  the  spiritual  life.  Hence,  as  the  sun  of  our 
system  is  the  centre  of  our  motions,  as  all  time  in  this  world 
is  measured  by  motion,  so  the  one  great  centre  in  the 
spiritual  world  is  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  and  all  the 
heavens  about  Him  move  in  relation  to  Him  as  their  centre; 
their  motions  being  but  progressions  towards  Him,  which 
progressions  are  determined  by  the  spiritual  state  or  quality 
of  the  angel.  Here,  then,  is  presented  to  us  an  idea  which, 
however  obscure,  confused,  and  indistinct,  to  the  natural 
mind,  is  nevertheless  clear,  instructive,  and  consolatory,  to 
the  spiritual;  being  an  illustration  of  those  words  of  the 
Lord,  '*  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega;  the  Beginning  and  the 
Ending;  the  First  and  Last;  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come, — The  Almighty."* 

Again,  let  us  contemplate  what  Swedenborg  has  said  of 
Infinity,  Immensity,  or  that  in  the  spiritual  world  which 
corresponds  with  space  in  the  natural.  However  true  to 
the  nature  of  things  be  the  idea  which  he  has  suggested, 
and  hov/ever  edifying,  it  is  one  which,  to  the  natural  mind, 
may  easily  appear  to  be  the  infallible  sign  of  a  distempered 
fancy.  For  what  are  the  ideas  of  such  a  mind  with  regard 
to  heaven?  Many  have  been  the  masters  in  Israel,  who 
have  not  been  reluctant  to  assign  to  it  some  locality  in  the 
visible  material  heavens;  or  some  region  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  visible  universe,  the  path  to  which  lies  beyond  the 
various  suns  and  systems,  where,  as  they  imagine,  the 
armies  of  the  Holy  One  are  encamped,  and  Jehovah  has 
set  up  his  throne  of  glory.  What  is  all  this,  but  the  coun- 
terpart to  those  millenarian  fantasies,  by  which  the  natural 
imagination  is  sated  v/ith  marvels,  v/hile  the  inward 
thoughts  of  the  heart  and  its  affections  are  left  untouched.'* 
They  who  can  allow  their  feelings  to  be  rapt  into  specula- 
tions of  this  kind,  which  set  at  defiance  all  divine  order, 
and  all  the  laws  of  sound  philosophy,  we  cannot  but  con- 
sider to  be  enthusiasts  indeed.  Whatever  loftiness  may 
seem  to  attach  itself  to  such  a  view  of  the  subject,  it  is  that 

*  For   a   fuller  and   clearer   idea  of  lliis   subject,   the   reader  is  referred  to 
Swedenborg's  Treatise  on  Heaven  and  Hell. 

13* 


150  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

of  the  natural  imagination  only,  or  such  as  belongs  to  the 
conditions  of  mere  space;  and,  if  we  introduce  the  merely 
natural  idea  of  space  into  the  spiritual  world,  1  see  not  but 
we  must  introduce  the  merely  natural  idea  of  time;  since 
we  cannot  separate  the  one  from  the  other.  The  whole 
view  of  the  subject  is,  indeed,  that  of  the  merely  natural 
man;  which  has  no  more  foundation  in  reality,  than  the 
mirage  which  excites  the  wonder  of  the  traveller,  and  then 
disappears.  Even  some  who  profess  these  views,  acknow- 
ledge them  to  be  contrary  to  the  visible  order  of  nature; 
whereas  the  views  which,  as  receivers  of  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg,  we  not  only  profess,  but  know  to  be  truth,  if 
there  be  any  truth  in  the  nature  of  things,  is  in  the  most 
perfect  accordance  with  the  laws  of  divine  order;  and, 
surely,  this  is  some  little  evidence  in  its  favor. 

Any  one  w^ho  contemplates  visible  nature,  must  perceive 
in  it  a  uniformity  of  arrangement,  and  hence  universal 
order.  Now,  organization  itself,  particularly  that  of  the 
human  body,  is  the  concentration,  as  it  were,  and  embodi- 
ment of  this  order;  every  particular  part  of  the  body  hav- 
ing its  locality  according  to  its  use,  and  hence,  according 
to  its  nature  and  quality;  so  that  from  this  locality  may  be 
deduced  the  use,  or  nature  and  quality,  of  the  part.  On 
the  same  principle,  in  the  other  life,  situation  is  according 
to  nature  and  quality,  or,  in  other  words,  according  to 
state;  and  there  being  no  inert  matter  there  to  suggest  any 
other  idea  of  distance,  or  one  irrelative  to  state,  it  necessa- 
rily follo^vs,  that  things  which  are  there  of  a  similar  nature 
appear  to  be  near  to  each  other;  things  which  are  of  a  dis- 
similar nature,  to  be  remote;  that  angels  who  are  most  the 
image  and  likeness  of  the  Lord,  appear  to  be  the  nearest  to 
Him;  and  they  who  are  least  so,  the  most  remote;  that 
angels  who  most  nearly  resemble  each  other  in  the  nature 
and  quality  of  their  affections  and  thoughts,  are  in  the 
nearest  consociation  with  each  other;  while  those  who  less 
resemble  them,  appear  proportionably  distant;  angelic 
society  being  founded  on  the  principle  of  unity  in  affection 
and  thought.  Hence  w^e  see  how  it  is,  that  situation, 
locality  or  place,  is,  in  the  other  world,  according  to  state; 
how  it  is,  that  distance  and  space  there  do  not  depend,  as 
here,  upon  the  number  of  leagues  or  miles  between  the 
objects,  irrelatively  to  their  state  (as  some  worthy  divines 
would  lead  us  to  suppose,)  but  upon  the  nature  and  quality 
of  the  objects  themselves.  For  the  laws  and  constitution 
of  heaven  are  in  perfect  accordance  with  those  of  the  hu- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  151 

man  body,  as  also  with  those  of  the  spirit  of  man,  which, 
as  we  shall  have  occasion  to  mentionj  is  an  organized 
human  form,  and,  in  its  Divine  original,  a  form  of  heaven. 
For  heaven  is  the  body  of  Christ,  even  as  the  church,  of 
which  the  archetype  is  the  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord; 
and  all  in  that  body  have  their  relative  situations  according 
to  their  natures  and  qualities.  This  we  see  exemplified 
even  in  the  church  below,  which  has  been  called  by  St. 
Paul,  the  mystical  body  of  Christ;  in  which  every  member 
has  its  place  according  to  its  use  and  office,  and  thus,  "as 
we  have  many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have 
not  the  same  office,  so  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in 
Christ;  and  every  one,  members  one  of  another."  Heaven, 
therefore,  even  as  the  church  upon  earth,  is  the  body  of 
Christ,  but  without  a  material  clothing;  and  the  church  of 
Christ  upon  earth,  is  heaven  veiled  over  with  materiality. 
The  Sun  of  that  heaven  is  the  Lord  Jehovah,  for  it  is  one 
which  hath  no  need  either  of  our  visible  sun  or  moon  to 
shine  in  it,  "for  the  glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."  Every  one  is  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  glory  of  this  Sun  according  to  his  reception  of 
its  beams,  the  wise  being  in  the  glory  of  their  inefTable 
wisdom,  the  foolish  being  in  the  darkness  of  their  ineffable 
folly;  a  darkness  that  is  outer,  in  consequence  of  their 
external  and  sensual  state; — a  state  by  reason  of  which 
they  are  not  in  the  body  of  Christ,  and  hence  not  in  that  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  but  in  the  body  of  the  dragon,  that 
"old  serpent,  which  is  the  Devil  and  Satan."  Even  while 
upon  earth,  therefore,  the  Christian  is  in  heaven;  already 
is  he  in  blessed  consociation  with  the  angels  of  God; 
already  a  citizen  of  the  Jerusalem  which  is  above.  Hence, 
even  to  the  members  of  the  church  upon  earth,  the  apostle 
declares,  "Ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the 
city  of  the  living  God — the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an 
innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect,"  &.c. 

Swedenborg,  then,  having  shewn  how  the  organization 
of  the  body,  when  in  its  divine  order,  is  an  outbirth  of  the 
form  or  body  of  heaven,  and  how  all  the  angels  have  their 
respective  places  in  heaven,  as  the  several  members  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  according  to  their  quality  and  office,  de- 
nominates the  various  regions  of  heaven  according  to  the 
names  of  the  various  parts  of  the  body,  and  the  angels  ac- 


152  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

cording  to  the  cffices  they  fulfil;  these  offices  originating 
from  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  angels  themselves,  ac- 
cording to  their  appropriation  of  the  good  and  truth  which 
proceed  from  the  Lord.  This  is  the  principle  acknowledged 
by  every  sound  divine  to  be  that  upon  which  the  church  of 
Christ  upon  earth  is  constituted;  it  is  that  which  is  main- 
tained by  the  apostle; — it  is  that  upon  which  every  nation 
upon  earth  is  formed  into  a  social  system;  it  is  that  which 
is  in  most  perfect  accordance  with  the  order  of  the  visible 
universe;  it  is  that  which  speaks  with  a  voice,  though 
silent  to  the  natural  sense,  yet  loud  to  the  spiritual,  that, 
"  the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God:"  yet  this  law  is  so 
divine,  so  true  to  the  order  of  creation,  so  firmly  maintain- 
ed by  the  apostle,  nay,  though  obscurely,  by  some  of  the 
best  and  wisest  men  of  the  church,  has  been  a  standing  jest 
even  with  well-educated  and  reputedly  religious  persons. 
"But,  I  wot  that  in  ignorance  they  did  it,  as  did  also  their 
rulers." 

The  Jevvs  of  old  knew  not  the  truth  when  it  came  in  per- 
son: is  it  impossible  that  Christians  of  these  days  should 
not  know  it,  now  that  it  comes  in  spirit?  Verily!  it  com- 
eth  in  clouds;  yet  every  eye  shall  see  it,  and  they  also 
which  pierced  it!  Let  no  one  think  that,  in  rejecting  the 
principles  of  Swedenborg,  he  is  only  rejecting  faith  in  a  pre- 
tended prophet.  Who  is  Paul?  Who  is  Apollos?  Who 
is  Cephas?  In  following  the  gospel  they  preached,  we 
follow  not  them,  but  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  as 
he  said,  "  He  who  receiveth  you  receiveth  me,  and  he  who 
receiveth  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me."  W^hether  Swe- 
denborg were  a  prophet  or  not,  is  a  matter  of  no  conse- 
quence. It  is  trifling  with  the  subject  to  place  it  upon  this 
ground.  The  point  with  which  we  are  concerned  is, 
whether  his  principles  are  true:  if  they  are,  no  matter  who 
may  be  the  mortal  by  whom  they  are  communicated.  God 
does  not  reveal  his  dispensations  to  the  world,  immediately 
from  heaven,  but  mediately  through  his  servants.  He  has 
a  right  to  choose  whom  he  will,  nor  have  we  a  right  to  ques- 
tion his  choice.  The  principles  of  Swedenborg  we  consider 
would  be  true,  even  though  we  knew  nothing  of  the  individ- 
ual, or  even  that  such  a  person  had  ever  lived.  To  make  it, 
therefore,  a  mere  personal  question,  or  to  rest  even  upon 
any  personal  pretensions  of  a  messenger,  the  truth  of  a 
message  which  appeals  to  us  by  its  own  internal  evidence, 
is  a  proceeding  which  can  no  more  be  allowed  in  religion, 
than  it  can  be   allowed  in  science.     I  would  not  affirm  or 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  153 

deny  that,  in  denominating  Swedenborg  a  "pretended  pro- 
phet," this  is  a  ground  upon  which  the  principles  of  Swe- 
denborg were  meant  to  be  opposed  in  the  Essays;  but  it  is 
one  upon  which  opposition  is  generally  raised;  the  very 
circumstance  of  his  supposing;  that  he  was  a  messenger  of 
the  Lord  to  communicate  to  the  church  tidings  with  regard 
to  heaven  and  hell,  being  itself  looked  upon  as  the  infallible 
sign  of  a  distempered  fancy,  and  a  self-evident  refutation  of 
the  truth  of  what  he  had  to  communicate. 

But  I  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  a  second  obsta- 
cle, and  one  which  arises  out  of  the  former;  I  mean,  igno- 
rance of  the  state  of  our  hearts.  Let  us  see  hov/  this  ope- 
rates in  preventing  the  reception  of  the  narratives  of  Swe- 
denborg. 

The  observation  is  not  uncommon,  at  least  among  some 
portion  of  the  Christian  community,  that  were  all  the  evils 
of  a  man's  heart  disclosed  to  him  at  once,  he  would  not 
know  himself;  and  that  were  a  faithful  portrait  of  his  nature 
held  up  to  his  view,  he  would  disclaim  it  as  false  and  delu- 
sive; so  apt  are  men  not  to  acknowledge  their  evils  v/hen 
pointed  out,  and  yet  to  confess  in  their  prayers,  that  they 
are — "wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked." — One  cause  of  this  error  and  ignorance  is,  that 
mankind  have  not  yet  learnt  the  true  distinction  between 
what  is  natural  and  what  is  spiritual;  that  they  mistake 
merely  natural  for  spiritual  virtues;  natural  understanding, 
for  spiritual  perception.  Let  a  man  contemplate  himself 
separately  from  all  the  endowments  of  his  merely  natural 
mind,  whether  inherited  by  birth  or  acquired  by  habit, 
and  view  himself  solely  in  the  Divine  light.  Though 
few  are  able  to  do  this,  how  many  would  acknowledge 
that,  were  it  done,  they  would  see  what  previously  they 
were  little  aware  of!  Suppose,  then,  a  description  of 
their  character,  as  seen  in  this  light,  were  placed  before 
them  while  in  their  merely  natural  state,  will  they  not  re- 
ject it?  And  why?  For  the  very  reason  of  its  being  such  as 
they  professed  to  believe  that,  under  such  circumstances, 
it  would  be  seen  to  be;  namely,  something  altogether  new 
and  different  from  what  they  previously  suspected.  The 
fidelity  of  the  portrait  is  the  cause  of  its  rejection.  Now, 
Swedenborg  maintains,  that  when  the  self-hood  of  man  is  di- 
vested of  its  external  appearances,  and  laid  open  to  view 
in  spiritual  light,  it  appears  so  deformed  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  conceive  any  thing  more  so;  that  he,  therefore,  who 
sees  his  own  self-hood,    when  in   the   spiritual  world,   is 


154  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

struck  with  horror  at  himself,  and  wishes  to  flee  from  him- 
self, as  from  a  devil.  Any  one  who  practically  denies  the 
truth  of  this  principle,  however  he  may  theoretically  have 
admitted  it,  must,  of  course,  deny  the  truth  of  any  narra- 
tive which  is  founded  upon  it;  and  here,  therefore,  we  have 
an  illustration  of  one  cause  of  the  rejection  of  the  narra- 
tives of  Swedenborg;  a  cause  which  is  to  be  found  in  a 
practical  ignorance,  it  may  be  also,  a  theoretical  denial,  of 
the  moral  principles  of  our  nature.  Evil  and  good  are  so 
mixed  together  in  this  world,  even  in  the  same  character, 
that  there  is  no  point  on  which  a  man  is  more  liable  to  be 
mistaken,  that  in  forming  a  judgment  with  respect  to  his 
real  spiritual  condition.  The  mixture  of  good  with  evil 
makes  evil  appear  better  than  it  is;  and  the  mixture  of  evil 
with  good  makes  good  appear  worse  than  it  is.  Hence,  in 
this  world,  we  never  see  virtue  in  all  its  beauty,  nor  vice  in 
all  its  deformity;  the  beauty  of  holiness  surpasses  our  un- 
derstanding, and  the  deformity  of  sin  is  altogether  incredi- 
ble; consequently,  when  the  two  are  presented  to  us  un- 
mixed as  they  are  in  the  other  world,  the  narrative  which 
so  presents  them,  is  as  unintelligible  or  incredible  as  the 
principles  of  which  they  treat,  nay,  cis  the  state  of  the 
reader  is  to  himself;  in  fine,  the  whole  account  necessarily 
appears  to  be  extravagant  and  visionary.  This  is  the  real 
cause  of  that  semblance  of  caricature  which  some  have  at- 
tributed to  Swedenborg's  narratives.  For  it  is  one  of  the 
laws  of  the  spiritual  world,  as  explained  by  him,  that,  before 
passing  to  their  final  destiny,  the  good  are  deprived  of  their 
evils  and  the  evil  of  their  goods;  that  "He  that  hath,  to 
him  is  given  more  abundantly;  and  he  that  hath  not,  from 
him  is  taken  even  that  which  he  hath;"  consequently,  that 
after  a  spirit  has  passed  through  this  change,  he  appears  to 
be  almost  another;  nevertheless,  that  he  is  virtually  the 
same,  the  only  difference  being,  that  he  appears  in  his  real 
character,  that  the  interior  principles  of  his  mind,  which 
he  had  formed  to  himself  in  the  world,  have  become  openly 
visible,  and  that  he  is  seen  as  he  is;  that  hence,  the  inter- 
mediate state  is  a  scene  of  the  most  astonishing  disclosures, 
I  will  add,  of  the  most  incredible  exhibitions,  of  human  char- 
acter; that  many  who  had  here  been  reputed  to  be  first, 
are  there  seen  to  be  last;  and  many  who  were  here  re- 
puted to  be  last,  are  there  seen  to  be  first. 

Here,  then,  we  see  one  instance  of  the  practical  utility 
of  Swedenborg's  communications  with  regard  to  the  state 
of  man  after  death.     They  teach  us  how  to  analyze  our 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  155 

nature,  and  to  distinguish  the  good  in  us  from  the  evil;  they 
shew  us  our  real  characters,  and  expose  the  mistaken  prin- 
ciples upon  which  we  judge  of  ourselves,  and  which,  in 
this  world,  are  misleading  their  tens  of  thousands.  As- 
suredly, it  is  a  great  advantage  to  be  able  thus  to  contem- 
plate evil  separately  from  good,  and  good  separately  from 
evil,  since  we  can  thus  arrive  at  a  better  knowledge  of 
each;  but  as  this  separation  cannot  take  place  except  in 
another  world,  I  see  not  how  w^e  could  better  arrive  at  this 
knowledge,  than  by  a  narrative  respecting  that  world. 

The  order  of  things  in  the  world  of  spirits,  is  thus  so 
entirely  different  from  that  which  prevails  in  this  world, 
that  when  discovered  to  us  in  our  present  state,  the  mind  is 
not  prepared  for  the  contrast;  and,  judging  from  those 
habits  of  thought  we  have  acquired  (for  we  have  no  others 
from  which  to  judge,)  and  these  being  founded  upon  the 
principles  of  order  prevailing  in  the  present  life,  the  very 
truth  of  the  narrative  becomes  to  us  a  prima  facie  evidence 
of  its  falsehood,  and  we  reject  the  whole  as  unreal,  and  fic- 
titious. Unreal  undoubtedly  it  is,  relatively  to  our  present 
estimations  of  things  and  modes  of  thinking;  unreal  un- 
doubtedly it  is,  if  we  are  never  to  undergo  any  change! — 
"But  our  fathers, — where  are  they.^  and  the  prophets, — do 
they  live  for  ever?" 

The  intermediate  state,  then,  being  the  scene  of  disclosure 
of  the  human  character,  upon  the  principles  we  have  stated, 
it  is  necessarily  a  scene  of  disclosure  of  the  quality  and 
state  of  the  church  upon  earth.  Now,  it  has  before  been 
shewn  upon  what  grounds  Swedenborg  has  considered  the 
received  doctrines  of  the  church  to  be  untrue;  and  when 
to  these  untruths  are  added  evils  of  life,  it  cannot  be  sup- 
posed that  his  alleged  revelation  with  regard  to  the  other 
world,  places  the  church,  in  general,  in  a  favorable  point 
of  view. 

We  have  considered  the  case  in  regard  to  evils  of  life; 
let  us  consider  it  in  regard  to  untruths,  or  falsifications  of 
doctrine. 

There  are  certain  feelings  and  ways  of  thinking,  with  re- 
gard to  worldly  things,  which  are  often  received  in  society 
as  common  sense.  Hence,  in  the  ordinary  affairs  of  life, 
if  the  professed  member  of  the  church  possess  a  good 
natural  judgment,  an  unerring  and  quick  discernment, 
and  if  to  these  he  add  the  outward  appearance  of  religion, 
he  is  received,  in  general,  as  a  wise  Christian;  yet,  notwith- 
standing, he  may,  in  the   spiritual  world,  as  Swedenborg 


156'  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

shews,  be  the  image  of  folly,  or,  if  I  may  be  pardoned  the 
expression,  a  spiritual  fool;  for,  as  I  have  before  men- 
tioned, in  another  world  all  merely  natural  good  qualities 
are  separated  from  the  spiritual,  and  a  man's  judgment  is 
there  either  strong  or  weak,  according  to  his  views  of  moral 
and  spiritual  things.  It^  now,  with  every  external  accom- 
plishment, he  should,  nevertheless,  believe  in  the  interces- 
sions of  the  saints  and  of  the  virgin  Mary, — when  he  passes 
into  the  other  world,  losing  his  natural  and  worldly  discern- 
ment, he  exercises  only  his  spiritual;  hence,  there  being 
then  no  wisdom  without  to  conceal  the  folly  within,  all  the 
ignorant  and  absurd  conceits  with  regard  to  spiritual  things, 
which,  while  upon  earth,  were  inwardly  harbored  in  his 
mind,  but  outwardly  concealed,  speak  trumpet-tongued  be- 
fore God  and  his  angels;  and  though  in  this  world  he  was 
esteemed  a  wise  man,  in  the  spiritual  world  he  is  seen  to  be 
an  idiot  or  a  madman. 

These  are  awful  reflections, — but  I  proceed. 

Take  the  case  of  a  person  who  maintains  the  Triperson- 
ality  in  the  ordinary  sense;  who  would  disavow  Tritheism 
more  strongly  than  he  ?  Who  would  point  to  his  creed 
with  more  confidence,  and  say,  "And  yet  there  are  not 
three  Gods,  but  one  God.^"  Yet  all  this,  in  another  life, 
might  pass  for  nothing,  and  he  might  be  found  to  be  a 
Tritheist,  notwithstanding;  for  we  are  not  judged  there  by 
outward  creeds,  but  by  inward  thoughts;  and  Your  Grace 
has  well  shewn,  how  a  creed  may  be  one  thing,  and  a 
man's  inward  thought  another.  For  the  Protestant  im- 
putes to  the  Romanist  idolatry:  the  Romanist  denies  it  by 
pointing  to  his  creed.  We  have  no  reason  to  suppose,  but 
that  many  Romanists  are  conscientious  in  thinking  the 
charge  against  them  to  be  unfounded,  and  no  more  dream 
that  they  are  idolaters,  than  the  Tripersonalist  that  he  is  a 
Tritheist;  nevertheless,  Ave  do  not  the  less  consider  many 
a  Romanist  to  be  an  idolater.  Swedenborg  shews  how  the 
case  is  the  same  in  regard  to  Tritheism.  Hence,  when  the 
Tripersonalist  enters  into  the  other  world,  and  passes 
through  his  appointed  changes,  he  cannot  there  speak  from 
an  outward  creed,  he  can  speak  only  from  inward  thought; 
and,  consequently,  a  person  who  was  not  accustomed  to 
attend  to  his  inward  thoughts,  and  v.ho  strenuously  disa- 
vowed Tritheism  in  this  world,  might  in  the  next  maintain 
it  in  all  its  enormity;  nay,  more,  he  might  not  suppose  but 
that  he  was  uttering  what  was  highly  reasonable  and  in- 
wardly true;  because  nothing  is  true  or  false  to  him,  but  in 


THE    SPIRITUAL     WORLD.  157 

relation  to  the   interior  principles   implanted   in   his  mind 
while  upon  earth. 

Thus  Swedenborg  observes  in  the  Apocalypse  Explain- 
ed, art.  649,  "Whilst  the  Divine  principle  (of  the  Lord) 
is  separated  from  His  Human,  His  Divine  (principle)  is 
not  yet  acknowledged  inwardly,  but  only  outwardly;  and 
to  acknowledge  it  outwardly,  is  to  acknowledge  it  only  with 
the  mouth,  and  not  in  the  heart,  or  with  speech  only,  and 
not  in  faith.  That  this  is  the  case,  may  appear  from  Chris- 
tians in  the  other  life,  where  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  are 
manifested.  When  it  is  granted  them  to  speak  from  doc- 
trine, and  from  what  they  have  heard  from  preaching,  then 
they  attribute  Divinity  to  the  Lord,  and  call  it  their  faith; 
but  when  their  interior  thought  and  faith  are  explored,  it  is 
found  that  they  have  a  different  idea  concerning  the  Lord, 
vv'hich  is  as  of  a  common  man,  to  whom  nothing  divine  can 
be  attributed.  The  interior  thought  of  man  is  the  real 
ground  of  his  faith;  wherefore,  such  being  the  thought,  and 
thence  the  faith  of  his  spirit,  it  is  evident,  that  there  is  not 
any  acknowledgment  of  the  Divine  (principle)  in  the  Lord 
and  from  the  Lord,  in  the  Christian  woi-ld,  at  the  end  of 
the  church.  In  a  word,  there  is,  indeed,  an  external  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  Divine  (principle)  of  the  Lord,  but 
no  internal;  and  external  acknov.ledgment  is  of  the  natural 
man  alone,  but  internal  acknowledgment  is  of  his  spirit  it- 
self; and  the  external  is  laid  asleep  after  death,  but  the 
internal,  being  of  his  spirit,  remaineth." 

W^e  have  observed,  then,  that  every  one  believes  that, 
in  the  spiritual  world,  the  moral  order  of  things  will  be  dif- 
ferent from  the  outward  order  which  prevails  upon  earth; 
but,  nevertheless,  if  we  place  before  him  a  narrative  which 
embodies  these  principles,  he  will,  generally  speaking,  not 
believe  it,  for  the  reason  of  its  presenting  to  view  that  in 
which  he  professed  to  believe,  which  he  thought  he  did 
believe,  but  which,  when  realized,  it  is  seen  that  he  does 
not;  although,  had  he  established  in  his  mind  the  right 
distinctions  betv/een  good  and  evil,  he  would  have  the  evi- 
dence of  his  own  heart  and  understanding  for  the  truth  of 
that  which  was  presented  to  him,  and,  as  such,  would  give 
it  full  credence.  Now,  in  another  life,  good  and  truth 
being  separated  from  the  evil  and  the  false,  and  all  angels 
being  thus  the  form  of  their  own  good  and  truth,  and  all 
devils  the  form  of  their  own  evil  and  false,  it  follows,  that 
any  narrative  respecting  angels  and  devils,  founded  upon 
this  principle,  must  involve  no  other  than  a  complete  sys- 
14 


156  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

shews,  be  the  image  of  folly,  or,  if  I  may  be  pardoned  the 
expression,  a  spiritual  fool;  for,  as  I  have  before  men- 
tioned, in  another  world  all  merely  natural  good  qualities 
are  separated  from  the  spiritual,  and  a  man's  judgment  is 
there  either  strong  or  weak,  according  to  his  views  of  moral 
and  spiritual  things.  If  now,  with  every  external  accom- 
plishment, he  should,  nevertheless,  believe  in  the  interces- 
sions of  the  saints  and  of  the  virgin  Mary, — when  he  passes 
into  the  other  world,  losing  his  natural  and  worldly  discern- 
ment, he  exercises  only  his  spiritual;  hence,  there  being 
then  no  wisdom  without  to  conceal  the  folly  within,  all  the 
ignorant  and  absurd  conceits  with  regard  to  spiritual  things, 
which,  while  upon  earth,  were  inwardly  harbored  in  his 
mind,  but  outwardly  concealed,  speak  trumpet-tongued  be- 
fore God  and  his  angels;  and  though  in  this  world  he  was 
esteemed  a  wise  man,  in  the  spiritual  world  he  is  seen  to  be 
an  idiot  or  a  madman. 

These  are  awful  reflections, — but  I  proceed. 

Take  the  case  of  a  person  who  maintains  the  Triperson- 
ality  in  the  ordinary  sense;  who  would  disavow  Tritheism 
more  strongly  than  he.''  Who  would  point  to  his  creed 
with  more  confidence,  and  say,  "And  yet  there  are  not 
three  Gods,  but  one  God.''"  Yet  all  this,  in  another  life, 
might  pass  for  nothing,  and  he  might  be  found  to  be  a 
Tritheist,  notwithstanding;  for  we  are  not  judged  there  by 
outv.ard  creeds,  but  by  inward  thoughts;  and  Your  Grace 
has  well  shev;n,  how  a  creed  may  be  one  thing,  and  a 
man's  inward  thought  another.  For  the  Protestant  im- 
putes to  the  Romanist  idolatry:  the  Romanist  denies  it  by 
pointing  to  his  creed.  We  have  no  reason  to  suppose,  but 
that  many  Romanists  are  conscientious  in  thinking  the 
charge  against  them  to  be  unfounded,  and  no  more  dream 
that  they  are  idolaters,  than  the  Tripersonalist  that  he  is  a 
Tritheist;  nevertheless,  we  do  not  the  less  consider  many 
a  Romanist  to  be  an  idolater.  Swedenborg  shews  how  the 
case  is  the  same  in  regard  to  Tritheism.  Hence,  when  the 
Tripersonalist  enters  into  the  other  world,  and  passes 
through  his  appointed  changes,  he  cannot  there  speak  from 
an  outward  creed,  he  can  speak  only  from  inward  thought; 
and,  consequently,  a  person  who  was  not  accustomed  to 
attend  to  his  inward  thoughts,  and  who  strenuously  disa- 
vowed Tritheism  in  this  world,  might  in  the  next  maintain 
it  in  all  its  enormity;  nay,  more,  he  might  not  suppose  but 
that  he  was  uttering  what  was  highly  reasonable  and  in- 
wardly true;  because  nothing  is  true  or  false  to  him,  but  in 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  157 

relation  to  the  interior  principles  implanted  in  his  mind 
while  upon  earth. 

Thus  Swedenborg  observes  in  the  Apocalypse  Explain- 
ed, art.  649,  "Whilst  the  Divine  principle  (of  the  Lord) 
is  separated  from  His  Human,  His  Divine  (principle)  is 
not  yet  acknowledged  inwardly,  but  only  outwardly;  and 
to  acknowledge  it  outwardly,  is  to  acknowledge  it  only  with 
the  mouth,  and  not  in  the  heart,  or  with  speech  only,  and 
not  in  faith.  That  this  is  the  case,  may  appear  from  Chris- 
tians in  the  other  life,  where  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  are 
manifested.  When  it  is  granted  them  to  speak  from  doc- 
trine, and  from  what  they  have  heard  from  preaching,  then 
they  attribute  Divinity  to  the  Lord,  and  call  it  their  faith; 
but  when  their  interior  thought  and  faith  are  explored,  it  is 
found  that  they  have  a  difterent  idea  concerning  the  Lord, 
which  is  as  of  a  common  man,  to  whom  nothing  divine  can 
be  attributed.  The  interior  thought  of  man  is  the  real 
ground  of  his  faith;  wherefore,  such  being  the  thought,  and 
thence  the  faith  of  his  spirit,  it  is  evident,  that  there  is  not 
any  acknowledgment  of  the  Divine  (principle)  in  the  Lord 
and  from  the  Lord,  in  the  Christian  woi-ld,  at  the  end  of 
the  church.  In  a  word,  there  is,  indeed,  an  external  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  Divine  (principle)  of  the  Lord,  but 
no  internal;  and  external  acknov.ledgment  is  of  the  natural 
man  alone,  but  internal  acknowledgment  is  of  his  spirit  it- 
self; and  the  external  is  laid  asleep  after  death,  but  the 
internal,  being  of  his  spirit,  remaineth." 

We  have  observed,  then,  that  every  one  believes  that, 
in  the  spiritual  world,  the  moral  order  of  things  will  be  dif- 
ferent from  the  outward  order  which  prevails  upon  earth; 
but,  nevertheless,  if  we  place  before  him  a  narrative  which 
embodies  these  principles,  he  will,  generally  speaking,  not 
believe  it,  for  the  reason  of  its  presenting  to  view  that  in 
which  he  professed  to  believe,  which  he  thought  he  did 
believe,  but  which,  when  realized,  it  is  seen  that  he  does 
not;  although,  had  he  established  in  his  mind  the  right 
distinctions  betvreen  good  and  evil,  he  would  have  the  evi- 
dence of  his  own  heart  and  understanding  for  the  truth  of 
that  which  was  presented  to  him,  and,  as  such,  would  give 
it  full  credence.  Now,  in  another  life,  good  and  truth 
being  separated  from  the  evil  and  the  false,  and  all  angels 
being  thus  the  form  of  their  own  good  and  truth,  and  all 
devils  the  form  of  their  own  evil  and  false,  it  follows,  that 
any  narrative  respecting  angels  and  devils,  founded  upon 
this  principle,  must  involve  no  other  than  a  complete  sys- 
14 


160  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

ness.  As  many,  however,  have  considered  the  evidences 
for  and  against  the  nature  ot^  this  state  to  be  nearly  balanc- 
ed, and  tiiat  Scripture  is  silent  upon  the  subject;  as,  there- 
fore, they  are  only  uncertain  whether  or  not,  after  death, 
our  being  be  virtually  extinct  till  the  judgment  day,  I  have 
thought  it  better  to  use  the  term  ignorance  than  denial;  al- 
thouo'h  there  are  professed  Christians  who  are  not  reluc- 
tant to  avow  their  denial,  that  the  intermediate  state  is  a 
state  of  conscious  existence.  The  ignorance  which  does 
not  arise  from  evil  of  life,  or  from  perverted  knowledge, 
would  be  no  impediment  to  the  reception  of  Swedenborg's 
alleged  revelations  on  this  subject;  the  real  obstacle  lies  in 
the  cause  by  which  a  far  more  deplorable  ignorance  is  pro- 
duced,— I  mean  sensual  and  worldly  principles;  principles 
which  produce  the  same  kind  of  ignorance  with  regard  to 
the  nature  of  heaven  and  hell.  It  is  affirmed  by  some,  that 
Scripture  is  silent  upon  the  subject  of  the  intermediate 
state;  whereas,  Swedenborg  maintains  that  it  is  not  alto- 
gether silent,  but  that  the  same  cause  which  operates  in 
producing  doubt  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  this  state,  as 
also  of  heaven  and  hell,  operates  in  preventing  us  from  un- 
derstanding what  Scripture  has  intimated  upon  the  subject; 
that,  were  the  mind  less  influenced  by  merely  natural  ideas, 
the  state  of  man  after  death  would,  to  a  certain  extent,  be 
so  obvious,  that  we  should  not  require  for  our  instruction  a 
distinct  revelation  on  the  subject. 

It  is  lamentable  to  observe,  how  the  theology  of  some  di- 
vines is  ever  gravitating  toward  the  extinction  of  our  be- 
ing. The  curse  of  death  which  Adam  underv/ent,  they  con- 
sider to  be  that  of  annihilation;  hence  they  maintain  that, 
when  it  is  said,  "all  in  Christ  shall  be  made  alive,"  the  re- 
storation of  the  soul  from  a  state  of  annihilation  is  meant; 
and  even  after  they  have  labored  to  prove  this  position, 
down  they  sink  again  into  the  doctrine  of  oblivion  and  vir- 
tual nonentity;  for  they  maintain,  either  that  the  interval 
between  death  and  judgment  is  a  state  of  sleep,  unconscious 
being,  or  absolute  destruction  of  existence;  or  else,  that  we 
have  no  reason,  and,  consequently,  that  it  is  presumptuous, 
to  conclude  either  one  way  or  the  other,  on  the  subject. 
Tell  an  unbeliever  that,  v/hen  the  body  dies,  we  know  not 
but  the  soul  sinks  into  a  state  of  sleep  for  an  indefinite  pe- 
riod, and  perhaps  there  will  be  some  little  difficulty  in  per- 
suading him,  that  there  is  much  difference  between  an  in- 
finite and  an  indefinite  duration  of  sleep;  nor  do  I  think 
any  argument  will  be  with  him  of  much  avail,  if  we  admit 
that  Scripture  is  silent  upon  the  subject, 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  161 

Now,  it  is  one  great  object  of  Christianity  to  purify, 
warm,  and  invigorate  the  affections.  Suppose,  then,  we 
assure  a  truly  Christian  mother,  who  was  grieving  over  the 
loss  of  her  child,  and  whose  only  consolation  was  that 
the  Lord  had  called  it,  that  it  was  quite  possible  the  object 
of  her  affections  was  in  a  state  of  unconscious  existence, 
and  that  we  had  no  evidence  from  Scripture  that  he  would 
not  so  continue  for  myriads  of  ages;  would  not  such  a  com- 
munication be  revolting  to  her  feelings?  Is  not  the  very 
principle  of  love  in  her  mind,  immediately  associated  with 
that  of  life?  Why,  then,  should  Christianity  first  exalt  and 
animate  her  affections,  and  then  trample  them  to  the 
ground?  Would  not  such  a  religion  be  cruel? — But  sup- 
pose that,  knov/ing  little  of  religion,  she  should  have  a 
strong  natural  affection  lor  her  child;  would  it  not  induce 
her  to  wish,  to  hope,  and  hence  to  believe,  that  her  child 
was  somewhere  in  a  state  of  conscious  happiness?  How  is 
it,  then,  that  neither  natural  nor  spiritual  affection  induce 
some  persons  to  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  intermedi- 
ate state  is  one  of  conscious  existence?  I  know  not,  except 
it  be,  that  both  are  counteracted  by  false  doctrine.  For 
how  accordant  with  a  disbelief  or  doubt,  of  an  intermediate 
state  of  consciousness,  is  the  doctrine  of  the  re-union  of  the 
same  material  body  to  the  soul?  since  certain  it  is,  that, 
until  this  re-union  take  place,  the  soul  cannot  enter  into 
her  final  destination;  cannot  be  in  heaven  or  in  hell;  no 
state  of  preparation  for  either,  now  that  she  is  departed,  is 
supposed  to  be  requisite;  so  that  the  circumstance  either 
of  her  having  nothing  to  do,  or  of  its  being  unknown  whe- 
ther she  has  any  thing  to  do,  harmonizes  well,  or  at  least  is 
not  very  inconsistent  with,  the  supposition  of  a  state  in 
which — nolhing  is  done. 

The  belief,  however,  of  the  doctrine  of  the  re-union  of 
the  same  body  to  the  soul,  has  been  permitted  by  Divine 
Providence,  as  Swedenborg  observes,  for  a  good  reason; 
namely,  that  if  mankind  had  not  believed  in  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  they  would  often  have  not  beheved  in  any 
resurrection  at  all.  For  it  being  denied  by  some,  that  the 
soul  or  spirit  is  any  distinct  substance;  it  being  asserted  by 
others,  that  there  is  no  evidence  as  to  what  it  is,  so  as  to 
enable  us  either  to  deny  or  affirm;  and  with  regard  to  most 
persons,  any  thing  relating  to  it  being  beyond  their  com- 
prehension; the  doctrine  of  its  resurrection  would  long 
since  have  been  rejected  altogether,  had  not  a  belief  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  been  permitted;  for  the  body  being 
14* 


162  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

a  carnal,  natural,  corporeal,  and  sensual  object,  and  hence 
more  within  the  comprehension  of  the  natural  mind,  the 
members  of  the  external  church  can  the  more  readily  be- 
lieve in  its  resurrection,  and  thus  preserve  in  themselves 
that  idea  of  a  resurrection,  and  hence  of  a  future  life,  of 
which,  otherwise,  they  would  have  been  deprived. 

Upon  this  subject,  permit  me  now  to  add  an  extract  from 
those  very  revelations  of  Swedenborg,  which  have  been  al- 
luded to  in  the  Essays,  as  a  proof  of  a  distempered  fancy: — 

"  4622.  Arc.  Ccel.  The  generality  do  not  apprehend, 
that  spirits  and  angels  have  sensations  much  more  exqui- 
site than  men  in  the  world,  viz.  sight,  hearing,  smelling, 
somewhat  analagous  to  taste,  and  touch,  and  especially  the 
delights  of  the  affections;  yet,  if  they  had  only  believed  that 
their  interior  essence  was  a  spirit,  and  that  the  body,  to- 
gether with  its  sensations  and  members,  is  adapted  only  to 
uses  in  the  world,  and  that  the  spirit  and  its  sensations  and 
organs  are  adequate  to  uses  in  the  other  life,  in  this  case, 
Ihey  would  come  cf  themselves,  and  almost  of  their  own  accord, 
into  ideas  concerning  the  state  of  their  spirits  after  death;  for, 
in  such  a  case,  they  would  think  with  themselves,  that  the 
spirit  of  each  is  that  very  man  himself  who  thinks,  and  who 
lusts,  who  desires  and  is  affected;  and,  further,  that  all  the 
sensitive  principle  which  appears  in  the  body,  is  properly 
of  the  spirit,  and  belongs  to  the  body  only  by  influx;  and 
these  things  afterwards  they  would  confirm  with  themselves 
by  many  considerations,  and  thereby,  at  length,  would  be 
delighted  with  the  things  appertaining  to  their  spirit,  more 
than  with  the  things  appertaining  to  their  body.  In  reality, 
also,  this  is  the  case,  that  it  is  not  the  body  which  sees, 
hears,  smells,  feels,  but  its  spirit;  wherefore,  when  the 
spirit  is  stripped  of  the  body,  it  is  then  in  its  own  sensations 
in  which  it  had  been  when  in  the  body,  and  this  in  a  more 
exquisite  degree;  for  corporeal  things,  as  being  respectively 
gross,  rendered  the  sensations  obtuse,  which  also  became 
still  more  so  in  consequence  of  being  immersed  in  earthly 
and  worldly  things.  This  I  can  positively  affirm,  that  a 
spirit  hath  more  exquisite  sight  than  a  man  in  the  body,  and 
also  more  exquisite  hearing,  and,  what  will  seem  surprising, 
a  more  exquisite  sense  of  smelling,  and  especially  of  touch; 
for  spirits  see  each  other,  hear  each  other,  and  touch  each 
other.  He  who  believes  in  a  life  after  death,  might  also 
conclude  this  from  the  consideration,  that  no  life  can  be 
given  without  sense,  and  that  the  quality  of  the  life  is  ac- 
cording to  the  quality  of  the  sense;  yea,  that  the  intellec- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  163 

tual  principle  is  nothing  but  an  exquisite  sense  of  interior 
things,  and  the  superior  intellectual  principle,  of  spiritual 
things;  hence,  also,  the  things  of  the  intellectual  princi- 
ple and  of  its  perceptions,  are  called  the  internal  senses. 
With  the  sensitive  principle  of  man  immediately  after  death, 
the  case  is  this:  as  soon  as  man  dies,  and  the  corporeal 
parts  grow  cold,  he  is  raised  up  into  life,  and,  on  this  oc- 
casion, into  the  state  of  all  sensations,  insomuch  that,  at  first, 
he  scarcely  knows  any  other  than  that  he  is  still  in  the  body; 
for  the  sensations  in  which  he  is,  lead  him  so  to  believe;  but 
when  he  perceives  that  he  hath  more  exquisite  sensations, 
and  this  especially  when  he  begins  to  discourse  with  other 
spirits,  he  then  takes  notice  that  he  is  in  another  life,  and 
that  the  death  of  his  body  was  the  continuation  of  the  life  of 
his  spirit,  &c.  &c. — But  I  am  aware,  that  the  things  which 
have  been  heretofore  said,  will  not  be  believed  by  those 
who  are  immersed  in  corporeal,  terrestrial,  and  worldly 
things,  that  is,  by  such  of  them  as  hold  those  things  for  an 
end;  for  these  have  no  apprehension  of  anything  but  of 
what  is  dissipated  by  death.  I  am  aware,  also,  that  neither 
will  they  believe  who  have  thought  and  inquired  much  about 
the  soul,  and  have  not,  at  the  same  time,  comprehended 
that  the  soul  is  man's  spirit,  and  the  spirit  is  the  very  man 
which  liveth  in  the  body;  for  these  cannot  conceive  any 
any  other  notion  about  the  soul,  than  that  it  is  some  prin- 
ciple of  thought,  or  of  flame,  or  of  ether,  which  only  acts 
into  the  organical  forms  of  the  body,  and  not  into  the  purer 
forms  which  are  of  the  spirit  in  the  body;  and  thereby, 
they  conceive  it  to  be  such  a  principle  -as  is  dissipated  with 
the  body;  and  this  is  especially  the  case  with  those,  who  have 
confirmed  themselves  in  such  notions  by  views  of  the  sub- 
ject, being  puffed  up  through  the  persuasion  of  their  own 
superior  wisdom." 

Closely  connected  with  ignorance  of  the  nature  of  the 
intermediate  state,  or  unbelief  in  its  being  a  state  of  con- 
scious existence,  is  also  an  unbelief  in  the  proximity  of  the 
spiritual  world.  This  is  the  fourth  impediment  to  the  re- 
ception of  Swedenborg's  alleged  revelations  with  regard  to 
the  spiritual  world,  which  we  proposed  to  consider. 

We  have  mentioned  above,  that  there  are  those  who  be- 
lieve that  the  spirit,  upon  its  departure  from  the  body,  does 
not  enter  into  a  state  of  consciousness;  hence  it  follows, 
that  heaven  and  hell  are  at  some  incalculable  distance. 
There  are  others  who  profess  to  be  uncertain  upon  the  sub- 
ject. Both  parties  appear  to  agree  that  a  state  of  uncon- 
sciousness after  death,   however  long,  will  appear,  at  the 


164  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

judgment  day,  to  be  very  short. — In  reply  to  this  we  would 
observe,  that  at  present  it  appears  to  be  very  long.  The  ques- 
tion is,  not  what  it  will  appear  to  us  at  some  future,  and,  it 
may  be,  remote  period;  but  what  it  appears  to  us  noiv. 
Once  remove  from  the  minds  of  men  the  present  application 
of  a  truth,  and  we  remove  its  practical  application.  No 
matter,  they  will  say,  what  the  time  may  appear  to  us  at 
a  far  distant  period;  a  thousand  years,  it  may  be  millions  of 
ages,  appear  to  us  noiv  very  long.  This  constant  tendency 
to  confine  our  belief  only  to  the  future,  produces  a  practi- 
cal unbelief  with  regard  to  the  present.  Why,  says  Arch- 
bishop Tillotson,  (Sermon  14,)  do  men  say  they  will  repent 
at  some  future  period? — Solely  because  it  is  future;  when 
the  future  comes  to  be  present,  they  will  have  the  same  rea- 
son for  deferring  their  repentance.  They  will  consent  to  a 
future  repentance,  but  not  to  one  that  is  present.  So  it  is 
with  the  world  in  general,  with  regard  to  heaven  and  hell. 
They  will  admit  the  existence  of  a  heaven  and  hell,  which 
are  future  and  afar  off;  but  they  will  reject  all  that  is  said 
about  them,  if  considered  as  present  and  near.  Now,  all 
that  Swedenborg  has  said  on  the  subject,  tends  to  oppose 
this  evil;  but  those  doctrines  which  are  apt  to  defer  every 
thing  to  the  future,  tend  to  encourage  it.  Procrastination 
will  harmonize  well  with  a  speculative,  but  not  with  a  prac- 
tical belief.  Hence,  we  see  those  who  theoretically  believe 
in  the  ministration  of  spirits,  reject  the  doctrine  when  it  is 
brought  home  to  them,  and  made  practically  to  apply  to 
their  conduct.  They  will  receive  it  as  an  article  of  specu- 
lative belief;  but  they  reject  it  as  a  rule  of  practice.  So 
long  as  it  is  in  a  state  of  theory,  they  will  consider  it 
orthodox;  make  that  theory  practical,  and  they  reject  it  as 
visionary.  Why  is  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  with 
regard  to  the  ministration  of  spirits,  rejected?  Frequently, 
only  for  the  reason,  that  he  has  treated  as  matter  of  fact, 
what  with  many  is  merely  possibility,  it  may  be,  probability; 
that  he  has  imparted  a  truth  and  reality  to  what  they  pro- 
fess to  be  their  creed.  Place  much  of  what  he  has  said 
about  the  other  world,  in  a  speculative  point  of  view,  and 
many  will  consider  it  to  be  reasonable;  present  it  to  them 
as  matter  of  fact,  and  it  is  absurd;  afar  off,  it  is  true;  at 
home,  it  is  false. 

In  illustration  of  this  circumstance,  allow  me  to  select 
the  observations  of  one  writer  out  of  many  who  might  be 
quoted;  I  mean  Archbishop  Tillotson,  who  cannot  be  ac- 
cused of  enthusiasm,  and  who  observes  (Sermon  75,)  "It  is 
very  probable  that  good  angels  are  ready  to  do  good  offices, 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  165 

just  contrary  to  those  of  evil  spirits;  that  is,  to  employ  their 
best  diligence  and  endeavor  for  the  salvation  of  men;  and 
that  they  are  very  sedulous  and  officious  to  restrain,  and 
pull  back  from  sin,  and  to  excite  and  solicit  them  to  that 
which  is  good;  and,  in  a  word,  to  do  all  tl^  can  to  help 
forward  the  repentance  and  conversion  of  sinners.  And 
this  may  reasonably  be  collected  from  that  passage  of  our 
'  Savior,  where  he  tells  us,  that  'there  is  joy  in  the  presence 
of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. '  And 
if  they  be  so  glad  of  the  repentance  of  a  sinner,  we  may 
easily  imagine  how  forward  they  are  to  further  and  promote 
so  good  a  v/ork.  And  when  sinners,  are  brought  to  repent- 
ance, we  have  no  reason  to  doubt,  but  that  the  angels  are  as 
ready  to  assist  their  progress  in  goodness."  Now,  what 
has  Swedenborg  imparted  to  us  upon  this  subject?  A  veri- 
fication of  the  fact.  Yet  it  is  rejected.  As  long  as  it  is 
said  to  be  very  probable  and  highly  reasonable,  who  objects 
to  it.'*  Put  the  theory  in  action,  and  there  are  no  words  to 
express  the  folly  of  doing  so,  and  the  absurdity  of  the 
theory  itself.  Men  will  believe  in  a  spiritual  world  afar  off, 
but  not  in  one  that  is  close  to  them.  They  will  believe  in  a 
spiritual  world  which  they  may  one  day  visit,  but  not  in  a 
spiritual  world  which  they  are  already  in.  They  will  believe 
in  an  eternity  that  is  to  come,  but  not  in  one  in  which  they 
are  now  living;  an  eternal  future  is  their  belief,  but  not  a 
present  eternity;  they  are  believers,  in  fine,  in  what  they 
conceive  is  to  be,  and  unbelievers  in  that  which  is.  This,  "my 
Lord,  is  one  of  the  moral  barriers  which  is  raised,  not  only 
against  Swedenborg's  doctrine  of  the  ministration  of  spirits, 
but  against  that  of  every  one,  who  shall  venture  to  contem- 
plate as  actual  that  which  is  received  as  speculative.  And 
this  predisposition  to  speculative  belief  and  practical  unbe- 
lief, belongs  not  merely  to  one  individual  or  another;  it  is 
an  inherent  tendency  of  human  nature;  it  influences  every 
one  more  or  less;  even  the  learned  and  pious  are  not  proof 
against  it,  for  it  is  one  of  the  consequences  of  our  fallen 
nature. 

Let  a  man  once  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  conviction 
that  while  he  is  living  in  this  world,  it  is  his  body  only 
which  is  in  time  and  space,  and  moves  from  one  outward 
place  to  another;  that  his  spirit  is  not  in  time,  but  in  eternity; 
not  in  the  outward  and  visible  world  of  space,  but  in  the 
inward  invisible  vvorld  of  spirits;  that  even  now  his  spirit  is 
inwardly  associated  with  good  and  evil  angels,  as,  in  the 
outv/ard  world,  he  is  associated  externally  with  good  and  evil 


166 


NTERCOURSE     WITH 


persons;  and  it  is  impossible  that  he  could  feel  that  repug- 
nance to  the  very  thought  of  communion  with  another  world, 
which  so  many  actually  feel.  For  if  the  spirit  of  man  never 
was  (like  the  material  body  in  which  it  lives,)  a  tenant  of 
this  outvvar(J^world  of  space  and  time,  and  never  will  or 
can  be;  if  the  world  of  spirits  be  as  near  to  the  spirit,  as  the 
world  of  matter  to  the  body;  if  good  and  evil  angels  are  as 
near  to  us  inwardly,  as  good  or  evil  men  in  this  world  are 
near  to  us  outwardly;  if  angels  are  much  more  closely  con- 
sociated  with  us  than  any  earthly  relations  possibly  can  be; 
if  they  take  an  interest  in  all  our  thoughts  and  feelings;  if 
we  cannot  breathe  a  breath,  or  stir  a  step,  or  lift  an  arm,  or 
think  a  thought,  or  feel  an  affection,  without  the  mediation 
of  the  spiritual  world,  why  should  we  reckon  it  so  strange 
a  thing  that,  at  least  in  some  particular  instances,  God 
should  allow  this  to  come  to  the  consciousness  of  the  indi- 
vidual; especially  when  many  admit,  that  this  was  actually 
the  state  in  which  man  was  originally  created?  Why  is 
it  any  more  a  species  of  madness  in  Swedenborg  to  see  the 
spiritual  world,  than  it  is  in  the  departing  souls  of  the  right- 
eous ?  Why  is  it  an  insane  fancy  in  the  one ;  and  holy  conso- 
lation to  the  other? — a  reality  in  the  dying;  a  delusion  in  the 
living? — a  blessed  privilege  to  the  departing  saint;  a  pre- 
sumptuous crime  in  the  living  Christian? 

That  the  mind  and  spirit  are  not  (like  matter)  in  time  and 
space,  is,  however,  a  speculative  doctrine,  the  article  of  a 
theoretical  creed;  nor  need  those  who  assent  to  it  alter  their 
practice  in  consequence  of  admitting  it  to  be  true.  Now  what 
is  the  result  of  this  speculative  faith  and  practical  infidelity? 
I  say  it  with  sorrow;  experience  has  shewn  that  such  unbe- 
lieving believers  are  among  the  most  determined  opponents 
to  the  narratives  of  Swedenborg;  since,  as  they  have  always 
given  themselves  credit  for  Christian  faith,  and  yet  their  be- 
lief has  produced  no  practical  effects  upon  their  mind,  their 
hearts  are  often  more  inaccessible  than  even  those  of  pro- 
fessed unbelievers;  for,  in  the  words  of  Your  Grace,*  "As 
those  who  have  been  long  accustomed  to  encounter  dangers, 
or  to  witness  sufferings,  without  giving  way  to  the  corres- 
ponding emotions  of  fear  or  pity,  are  far  more  callous  to 
such  emotions  than  those  who  have  not  been  conversant 
with  scenes  of  that  kind;  so  those  who  have  been  long  fa- 
miliarized to  the  thoughts  of  religion  without  applying  it  to 
their  lives,  are  far  more  incurably  hardened  than  if  they 
had  never  heard  nor  thought  any  thing  upon  the  subject." 

*  Essay  4,  Sect.  8. 


THE    SPIRITUAL     WORLD.  167 

It  may  be  said,  however,  that  a  man  is  not  to  be  consid- 
ered an  unbeliever  in  the  world  hereafter,  merely  because 
he  does  not  believe  in  Swedenborg's  accounts  of  hell.  Cer- 
tainly not;  upon  one  condition,  that  Sv/edenborg's  accounts 
of  heaven  and  hell  are  untrue;  for  if  they  are  true,  I  pre- 
sume it  will  be  granted,  that  he  must  be  considered,  in 
some  sense,  an  unbeliever.  A  man  believes  in  a  God;  he 
does  well:  but  is  the  God  in  whom  he  believes  the  true  God, 
or  an  idol  of  his  own  imagination?  A  man  believes  in  a 
future  reward  for  the  righteous,  and  punishment  for  the 
wicked;  he  does  well:  but  are  the  heaven  and  hell  in  which 
he  believes,  such  as  really  exist,  or  only  the  creature  of  his 
own  imagination?  Is  he  a  believer  in  the  true  God,  in 
heaven  and  hell  as  they  really  are?  Or,  after  all,  is  he  a 
believer  only  in  himself,  that  is,  in  his  own  ideas  of  God, 
heaven  and  hell;  and,  consequently, an  unbeliever  in  the  true 
God,  in  heaven  and  hell,  as  they  really  exist?  If  heaven  be 
a  state  of  good,  and  hell  a  state  of  evil;  if  the  distinctions 
between  heaven  and  hell  are  thus  no  other  than  the  distinc- 
tions between  good  and  evil;  the  heaven  which  is  so  de- 
scribed, is  as  real  as  the  good  of  which  it  consists;  the  hell 
which  is  so  described,  as  real  as  the  evil  of  which  it  consists. 
To  reject,  therefore,  the  reality  of  such  descriptions  of  hea- 
ven and  hell,  is  to  reject  the  reality  of  the  principles  of  good 
and  evil  in  which  they  consist;  for  heaven  and  hell  are  only 
the  realization  of  those  principles;  and  it  remains  for  those 
who  reject  them,  to  prove  how  they  can  do  so,  and  yet  be  be- 
lievers inChristianity.  I  speak  not  of  those  who  reject  them 
in  ignorance,  and  who,  consequently,  receive  that  as  true 
in  the  Bible,  which  they  are  taught  to  believe  is  false  in  the 
writings  of  Swedenborg.  I  speak  only  of  those  who  re- 
ject Swedenborg's  writings  after  examination;  of  whom,  I  am 
happy  to  say,  there  are  but  few. 

I  know  it  has  been  objected,  that  he  has  contemplated  as 
real  essences,  what  are  only  ideal  abstractions;  that  he  has 
given,  as  every  madman  does,  a  local  habitation  and  a  name 
to  mere  idealities;  that  his  thoughts  and  feelings  had  be- 
come so  vivid,  as  to  be  endowed  with  an  imaginary  being; 
and  that,  in  this  state,  he  mistook  them  for  real  existences. 
Now  it  is  fully  granted,  that  wherever  such  a  state  exists, 
it  is  the  mark  of  a  distempered  mind.  But,  I  would  ask,  Is 
it  not  equally  the  mark  of  a  distempered  mind,  to  mistake 
for  mere  imaginary  existences  things  which  are  real  ?  Are 
the  eternal  distinctions betv/een  good  and  evil,  real  or  ideal? 
Are  good   and  evil,   in  themselves,  mere  idealities?     Are 


168  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

heaven  and  hell  empty  abstractions?  Are  they  no  where 
substantiated?  Are  we  wise  only  when  we  have  ideas  of 
heaven,  and  foolish  when  we  realize  that  heaven  in  our 
own  hearts?  Does  not  the  essence  of  a  Christian's  life 
consist  in  his  realizing,  in  his  own  being,  that  of  which  he 
at  first  Ibrms  only  an  idea?  Is  it  not  his  folly  to  treat  as 
ideal  that  which  is  real,  and  to  mistake  the  shadow  for  the 
substance  ?  If  the  principles  of  good  and  evil,  as  laid 
down  by  Swedenborg,  be  true,  his  narratives  of  heaven 
and  hell  must  be  true;  there  is  no  alternative.  We  have 
the  same  evidences  for  their  truth,  as  we  have  for  the  ex- 
istence of  any  heaven  and  hell  at  all.  If  the  lav,-s  of  gravi- 
tation laid  down  by  Newton  be  true,  the  constitution  of  our 
system  must  be  a  realization  of  those  laws.  We  cannot 
consider  those  laws  to  be  true ;  and  a  belief  of  their  realiza- 
tion in  nature  to  be  the  mark  of  a  distempered  mind. 

If,  now,  a  man  realizes  a  good  and  truth  in  his  own 
heart,  he  so  far  realizes  within  it  a  heaven;  for  the  heaven 
to  which  he  is  to  go,  is  no  other  than  the  heaven  which  he 
has  formed  within  himself  If  his  own  experience  assure 
him,  that,  by  a  life  of  goodness  and  truth,  he  has  realized  a 
heaven  within  himself,  he  is  a  standing  witness  to  himself 
that  there  is  a  heaven  corresponding  to  the  life  of  good  and 
truth  which  he  has  lived:  and  to  tell  him  that  this  is  a  fancy, 
an  imagination  or  the  mark  of  a  distempered  mind,  is  only 
to  tell  him  that  his  fancies  have  more  foundation  in  fact  than 
other  peoples'  truths;  his  day-dreams  more  of  reality  than 
other  peoples'  waking  meditations;  his  madness  more 
soberness  and  truth  than  other  peoples'  sanity.  Like 
Cicero,  speaking  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  he  will 
say,  "If  it  be  an  error,  it  is  one  which  I  willingly  believe;" 
or,  like  the  apostle,  If  we  are  fools,  "we  are  fools  for 
Christ's  sake." 

As,  however,  we  shall  have  again  to  advert  to  the  dis- 
tinction between  what  is  real  and  what  is  ideal,  we  shall 
now  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  fifth  obstacle,  or 
that  which  arises  from  erroneous  views  of  the  Divine  ope- 
rations. 

It  is  a  common  observation,*  that  all  good  feelings  and 

*  Note  to  the  American  Edition. — No  reference  appears  to  be  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing paragraphs  to  the  doctrine  of  J^mncdiate  hifltix;  Mr.  Clissoid,  proba- 
bly, not  regarding  it  as  pertinent  to  the  course  of  his  argnmont.  But  as  the 
omission  may,  perhaps,  lead  to  an  erroneous  impression -with  those  unacquainted 
■with  Swedenborg's  writings,  it  seems  proper  to  state  that  they  teach  tiiat  there 
\sho\\\  immediate  -And  mediate  influx  into  the  minds  of  men;  immediate  from 
the  Lord  into  every  angel,  spirit  and  man;  and  also  mediate  through  the  spirit- 
ual world.     (See  A.  C.  605S,  6472.) 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  169 

thoughts  are  produced  in  us  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit, — an  observation  Alvhich  is  perfectly  true;  but  these 
operations  are  often  considered  to  be  immediate.  What  is 
the  consequence?  The  ministry  of  angels,  or  the  interme- 
diate operation  of  the  spiritual  world  is,  in  this  case,  entirely 
overlooked;  for  if  the  Almighty  infuses  into  us  good  dis- 
positions and  thoughts  immediately,  or  without  the  interme- 
diate operations  of  the  spiritual  world,  then  is  the  ministry 
of  angels  unnecessary.  In  this  case,  a  belief  in  their  at- 
tendance upon  man  may  be  a  speculative  article  of  faith, 
but  it  is  one  which  is  practically  useless;  for  if  the  Holy 
Spirit  does  not  work  by  their  means,  then  are  they  not  con- 
cerned in  His  operations;  consequently,  all  our  ideas  of 
what  is  the  part  which  is  actually  taken  by  good  spirits  in 
the  work  of  man's  salvation,  become  obscure  and  confused; 
the  result  of  which  is,  that  persons  are  led  to  think  little  of 
the  subject  (as  they  naturally  do  of  every  thing,  which  only 
perplexes  their  minds,  and  on  which  they  imagine  no  deter- 
minate knowledge  can  be  obtained;)  hence,  they  as  natu- 
rally pass  into  a  state  of  indifference  with  regard  to  it,  then 
of  doubt,  and,  finally,  of  unbelief, — Besides,  conceiving  that 
their  thoughts  and  feelings  are  produced  immediately  by 
the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  resolving  all  the  men- 
tal changes  through  which  they  pass,  into  the  immediate  in- 
fluence of  his  power  and  the  immediate  exercise  of  his  will, 
they  are  apt  to  look  upon  their  experiences  as  so  many  un- 
connected facts,  wholly  independent  one  of  the  other.  The 
relation  between  cause  and  effect  is  thus  destroyed,  conse- 
quently, all  idea  of  divine  law;  inasmuch  as  they  consider 
the  only  law  to  be  God's  inscrutable  will,  which,  as  they 
think,  acknowledges  no  law  at  all.  The  case  is  the  same 
with  regard  to  their  views  of  the  other  world.  For  what 
suggests  to  us  the  idea  of  the  wisdom  of  God?  Is  it  not 
the  profound  adaptation  of  means  to  an  end;  the  vast  chain 
of  end,  cause,  and  efiect,  extending  through  creation;  and, 
hence,  the  uninterrupted  relation  of  the  whole  to  the  part, 
and  the  part  to  the  whole?  Destroy  the  idea  of  relation, 
and  all  idea  of  order  is  destroyed:  hence,  all  idea  of  law, 
and  all  idea  of  wisdom.  Such,  then,  is  what  they  do  in  re- 
gard to  the  spiritual  world,  who  consider  the  operations  of 
God  to  be  immediate;  the  consequence  is,  they  become  pro- 
portionably  ignorant  of  God,  and  more  particularly  of  the 
nature  of  His  dispensations  in  regard  to  the  soul;  for  in 
nothing  is  His  wisdom  more  displayed,  than  in  the  eternal 
and  immutable  laws,  according  to  which  the  soul  is  regene- 
15 


170  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

rated .  Now  Swedenborg  has  shewn,  from  the  laws  of  analo- 
gy, how  God  no  more  inluses  into  us  immediately  the  feelings 
and  thoughts  of  which  we  are  conscious,  than  the  sun  acts 
immediately  upon  our  bodies;  and  that  were  His  operations, 
in  the  manner  we  have  mentioned,  direct  or  immediate,  we 
should  not  be  vivified,  but  consumed,  since  the  result  would 
be  the  same  as  if  we  tell  into  the  sun.  Hence,  it  is  as  neces- 
sary that  there  be  intermediate  heavens  between  our  finite 
spirits  and  the  Infinite,  as  it  is  that  there  be  intermediate 
atmospheres  between  our  bodies  and  the  solar  orb.  When, 
therefore,  God  worketh  in  us  to  will  and  to  do,  he  worketh 
in  us  by  the  ministry  of  his  holy  angels;  our  affections  and 
thoughts  are,  consequently,  so  many  effects,  the  causes  of 
which  are  to  be  found  in  the  spiritual  v/orld;  the  spiritual 
world  being  connected  with  the  natural,  as  cause  is  connect- 
ed Vvith  effect.  If  the  cause  ceases,  the  effect  ceases;  if  a 
man,  therefore,  were  removed  from  the  influences  of  the  spir- 
itual world,  the  source  of  all  feeling  and  thought  would  be  in- 
tercepted. Like  a  member  excised  from  the  body,  he  would 
cease  to  live;  for  God  is  to  heaven  what  heaven  is  to  the  soul, 
and  vvhat  the  soul  is  to  the  body.  In  a  similar  manner,  to  a 
wicked  man  the  ministration  of  evil  spirits  is  equally  neces- 
sary; since,  without  them,  he  would  have  no  power  to  will 
or  to  do  what  is  evil;  hence,  constituted  as  men  generally 
are,  the  influence  of  good  and  evil  spirits  is  absolutely  re- 
quisite to  the  existence  of  their  being,  and  of  their  freedom 
in  choosing  and  executing  good  or  evil.  It  is  a  maxim 
with  Swedenborg,  and  one  the  truth  of  which  reflection  will 
verify,  that  thought  originates  from  affection;  hence,  that 
the  operation  of  the  spiritual  world  is  m.ediately  upon  our 
thoughts,  and  immediately  upon  our  affections.  The  affec- 
tions, however,  are  those  of  which  we  are  most  ignorant; 
because  they  are  not  objects  of  thought,  but  the  sources 
from  which  thought  originates.  Hence  arises  a  proportion- 
able ignorance  with  regard  to  the  operations  of  the  spirit- 
ual world,  and  the  nature  of  the  influences  under  v.-hich  we 
act;  which  are  often  so  subtle,  so  far  removed  from  the 
sphere  of  our  consciousness  or  inward  discernm.ent.  that  we 
are  apt  entirely  to  mistake  their  nature,  or,  in  the  language 
of  our  Savior,  not  "to  know  what  manner  of  spirit  we  are 
of."  The  nature  of  the  afi^ections  is,  therefore,  one  grand 
subject  of  Swedenborg's  philosophy;  and,  in  proportion  as  a 
man  knows  these,  and  makes  them  the  subject  of  purifica- 
tion, so  in  proportion  is  he  incloser  communion  with  angelic 
beino-s,  and  through  these  with  the  Lord.       The  character. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  171 

therefore,  of  the  spiritual  beings  v/ith  whom  man  is  in  con- 
nection, depends  entirely  upon  the  nature  of  his  affections, 
being  heavenly  or  infernal  according  as  his  affections  are 
holy  or  sinful.  As  his  affections  are  ever  varying,  and  those 
of  the  Christian  ever  progressing  from  less  to  more  pure, 
so  is  a  good  man  accordingly,  even  in  this  world,  associated 
with  different  orders  of  heavenly  beings,  and  ever  passing 
from  a  lower  to  a  higher  order  of  angels.  Similar  is  the 
law  which  obtains  with  regard  to  a  wicked  man;  who,  the 
more  he  confirms  himself  in  evils  of  life,  the  deeper  he 
sinks,  even  v/hile  upon  earth,  into  the  regions  of  infernal 
society.  The  society,  therefore,  which  each  forms  to  him- 
self while  in  this  world,  is  the  society  into  which  he  passes 
w^hen  he  removes  into  the  next. 

Hence  Swedenborg  observes,  (Arcana  Coelestia,  4067,) 
*'  In  order  that  it  may  be  comprehended  how  the  case  is, 
in  regard  to  goods  and  truths  appertaining  to  man,  it  may 
be  expedient  to  reveal  what  is  known  scarcely  to  any  one. 
It  is,  indeed,  known  and  acknowledged,  that  all  good  and 
all  truth  are  from  the  Lord;  and  it  is  also  acknovdedged  by 
some  that  there  is  an  influx,  but  of  such  a  nature  as  to  be  un- 
known to  man;  yet,  whereas  it  is  not  known,  at  least  is  not 
achiowledged  in  heart,  that  about  man  there  are  spirits  and 
angels,  and  that  the  internal  man  is  in  the  midst  of  them, 
and  is  thus  ruled  by  the  Lord,  this  influx  is  little  believed, 
although  a  belief  in  it  is  professed.  There  are  innumera- 
ble societies  in  another  life, which  are  disposed  and  arrang- 
ed of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  the  genera  of  good  and 
truth;  and  societies  which  are  in  the  opposite  principle,  ac- 
cording to  all  the  genera  of  what  is  evil  and  false;  inso- 
much that  there  is  not  given  any  genus  of  good  and 
truth,  nor  any  species  of  that  genus,  nor  any  specific  differ- 
ence, but  what  have  such  angelic  societies,  or  to  which  an- 
gelic societies  correspond;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
is  not  given  any  genus  of  what  is  evil  and  false,  nor  any 
species  of  that  genus,  nor  even  any  specific  difference, 
which  have  not  corresponding  diabolical  societies.  Every 
man  is  in  the  society  of  such  as  to  his  interiors,  that  is,  as 
to  his  thoughts  and  affections,  although  he  is  ignorant  of  it; 
and  hence  cometh  all  that  man  thinketh  and  willeth;  so 
that  if  the  societies  of  spirits  and  angels  in  which  he  is, 
were  taken  away,  in  that  instant  he  would  cease  to  have 
ehher  thought  or  will;  yea,  in  that  instant  he  would  fall 
down  absolutely  dead.  Such  is  the  state  of  man,  although 
he  believes  that  he  hath  all  things  from  himself,  and   that 


172  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

there  is  neither  hell  nor  heaven,  or,  at  least,  that  hell  is  far 
removed  from  him,  and  also  heaven.  Moreover,  the  good 
appertaining  to  man  appears  as  somewhat  simple,  or  as  one; 
nevertheless,  it  is  so  manifold,  and  consists  of  such  various 
principles,  that  it  can  in  no  Avise  be  explored,  even  as  to 
general  principles  only.  The  case  is  the  same  with  evil  ap- 
pertaining to  man.  But  such  as  the  good  is  appertaining  to 
man,  such  is  the  society  of  angels  with  which  he  is  associ- 
ated; and  such  as  the  evil  is  appertaining  to  man,  such  is 
the  society  of  evil  spirits  with  which  he  is  associated.  Man 
invites  to  himself  such  societies,  or  places  himself  in  the  so- 
ciety of  such,  inasmuch  as  like  associates  with  like;  as,  for 
example,  he  who  is  covetous,  invites  to  himself  the  socie- 
ties of  such  as  are  principled  in  a  like  lust;  he  who  loves 
himself  in  preference  to  others,  and  dcspiseth  others,  in- 
vites to  himself  like  spirits;  he  who  takes  delight  in  revenge, 
invites  such  as  are  principled  in  a  similar  delight;  and  so  in 
other  cases.  Such  spirits  communicate  with  hell,  and  man 
is  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  is  ruled  altogether  by  them,  in- 
somuch that  he  is  no  longer  under  his  own  power  and  guid- 
ance, but  under  theirs;  although  he  supposes,  from  the 
delight  and  consequent  liberty  which  he  enjoys,  that  he  rul- 
eth  himself.  But  he  who  is  not  covetous,  or  who  doth  not 
love  himself  in  preference  to  others,  and  doth  not  despise 
others,  and  doth  not  take  delight  in  revenge,  is  in  the  soci- 
ety of  like  angels,  and  by  them  is  led  of  the  Lord;  and  in- 
deed, by  freedom,  to  every  good  and  truth  to  which  he  suf- 
fers himself  to  be  led;  and  as  he  suffers  himself  to  be  led 
to  an  interior  and  more  perfect  good,  so  he  is  led  to  inte- 
rior and  more  perfect  angelic  societies.  The  changes  of  his 
state  are  nothing  else  but  changes  of  societies.  That  this  is 
the  case,  is  evidenced  to  me  by  continual  experience,  which 
hath  now  been  enjoyed  several  years;  whereby  the  circum- 
stance is  become  as  familiar  to  me,  as  somewhat  which  man 
hath  been  accustomed  to  from  his  infancy." 

Such,  then,  is  the  communion  with  angels,  in  which 
every  true  Christian  lives,  although  he  may  not  be  gifted 
with  any  open  vision  of  the  societies  with  which  he  is  sur- 
rounded; such  is  that  inward  consociation  with  angels, 
which  the  Church  of  Christ  enjoys  even  upon  earth,  as  we 
have  already  stated  to  be  announced  by  the  apostle — 
*'  Ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the 
living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem;  and  unto  an  innume- 
rable company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and 
church  of  tlic  first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven;    and 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  173 

to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,"  &c.  Stc.  &c.  On  this  subject,  Swedenborg  else- 
where observes,  (Arc.  Coel.) 

^'2796.  The  various  states  which  were  assumed  by  the 
Humanity  of  the  Lord,  when  upon  earth,  must  needs  be 
unknown  to  man;  inasmuch  as  he  never  reflects  on  chang- 
es of  states,  notwithstanding  such  changes  take  place  con- 
tinually, both  as  to  things  intellectual  or  the  thoughts,  and 
as  to  things  of  the  will-principle  or  the  affections.  The  rea- 
son why  he  does  not  reflect  on  these  changes,  is,  because 
he  believes  that  all  and  singular  the  things  appertaining  to 
him,  follow  by  natural  order,  and  that  there  is  no  superior 
principle  which  directs  them;  when,  nevertheless,  the  case 
is  this,  that  all  and  singular  the  things  appertaining  to  man 
are  disposed  by  spirits  and  angels,  and  that  hence  come  all 
states  and  changes  of  states,  and  thus  they  are  directed  by  the 
Lord  towards  ends,  to  eternity;  which  ends  the  Lord  alone 
foresees.  That  this  is  the  case,  hath  been  made  knov/n  to 
me  most  clearly  by  the  experience  now  of  several  years.  It 
hath  been  given,  also,  to  know  and  observe  what  spirits  and 
angels  were  attendant  upon  me,  and  what  states  they  oc- 
casioned; and  this  I  can  positively  declare,  that  all  states, 
even  to  the  smallest  particulars  thereof,  are  from  this 
source,  and  that  they  are  thus  directed  by  the  Lord.  It 
hath  been  also  given  to  know  and  observe,  that,  in  each  par- 
ticular state,  there  are  several  others  which  do  not  appear, 
and  which,  when  they  are  together,  appear  as  one  common 
state;  and  that  those  states  are  directed  and  disposed  to 
states  which  follow,  in  an  orderly  series.  These  things 
with  man  are  of  the  Lord's  operation;  but  with  the  Lord 
Himself,  during  his  abode  in  the  world,  they  were  eflected 
by  and  from  Himself;  because  He  was  Divine,  and  the 
very  esse  of  His  Life  was  Jehovah.  To  know  the  changes 
of  state  as  to  things  of  the  understanding  and  of  the  will  in 
man,  and  in  what  order  they  follow  each  other,  and  through 
what  series  they  pass,  and  thus  how  they  are  bended  by  the 
Lord  to  good  as  far  as  is  possible,  is  angelica!.  The  wis- 
dom of  the  angels  is  such,  that  they  perceive  these  things 
most  minutely;  and  hence  it  is,  that  the  things  here  reveal- 
ed in  the  internal  sense,  concerning  the  changes  of  state 
with  the  Lord,  are  clearly  and  distinctly  perceived  by  the 
angels,  inasmuch  as  they  are  in  the  light  of  heaven  from 
the  Lord;  and  they  are  also,  in  some  small  degree,  intelli- 
gible to  the  man  who  lives  in  simple  good.  But  they  aro 
obscure,  and  as'nothing,  to  those  who  are  principled  in  evil, 
15* 


174  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

and  also  to  those  who  are  in  the  deliriums  of  (their  own) 
wisdom;  for  these  latter  have  obscured  and  extinguished 
their  natural  and  rational  light  by  various  things,  which 
have  induced  darkness,  howsoever  they  may  believe  them- 
selves to  be  in  a  superior  light  to  others." 

"  2886.  The  case  with  man,  as  to  his  affections  and  as  to 
his  thoughts,  is  this.  No  person  whatsoever,  whether  man, 
spirit,  or  angel,  can  will  and  think  from  himself,  but  from 
others;  nor  can  these  others  will  and  think  from  themselves, 
but  all  again  from  others,  and  so  forth;  and  thus  each  from 
the  first  source  or  principle  of  life,  which  is  the  Lord. 
That  which  is  unconnected  doth  not  exist.  Evil  and  false 
principles  have  connection  with  the  hells;  whence  comes 
the  power  of  willing  and  thinking  with  those  who  are  in 
those  principles,  and  also  their  love,  affection,  and  delight, 
consequently,  their  freedom.  But  goodnesses  and  truths 
have  connection  with  heaven;  whence  comes  the  power  of 
willing  and  thinking  with  those  who  are  principled  therein, 
and  also  their  love,  affection,  and  delight,  consequently, 
their  freedom.  Hence  it  may  appear,  what  is  the  source 
of  the  one  freedom,  and  of  the  other.  That  this  is  the  real 
case,  is  perfectly  well  known  in  another  life;  but,  at  this 
day,  it  is  altogether  unknown  in  the  world." 

The  last  obstacle  to  which  we  shall  here  advert,  as  stand- 
ing in  the  way  of  the  reception  of  Swedenborg's  narratives, 
is  False  Philosophy. 

The  particular  difficulty  to  which  we  advert  may,  per- 
haps, best  be  illustrated  by  the  following  quotation. — After 
speaking  of  the  paradisiacal  objects  in  heaven,  Swedenborg 
observes,  (Arcana  Ccelestia,  1626)  :  "Thus  John  saw  the 
New  Jerusalem,  which  is  described  by  him  in  these  words: 
'He  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit,  to  a  great  and  high 
mountain;  and  shewed  me  that  great  city,  the  Holy  Jeru- 
salem, having  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  having  twelve 
gates.  The  building  of  the  wall  was  jasper,  and  the  city 
was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass.  The  foundations  of 
the  wall  were  adorned  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones. 
The  first  foundation  was  jasper;  the  second,  sapphire;  the 
third,  chalcedony;  the  fourth,  emerald;  the  fifth,  sardonyx; 
the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh,  chrysolite;  the  eighth, 
beryl;  the  ninth,  topaz;  the  tenth,  chrysoprasus;  the  elev- 
enth, jacinth;  the  twelfth,  amethyst.'  (Rev.  xxi,  10,  Stc.) — 
not  to  mention  similar  descriptions  by  the  prophets.  Innu- 
merable such  objects  arc  seen  by  angels  and  angelic  spir- 
its in  clear  day;   and,  what  is  wonderful,  they  are  perceived 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  175 

with  all  fulness  of  sense.*  This,  a  person  who  has  extin- 
guished spiritual  ideas  by  the  terms  and  definitions  of  hu- 
man philosophy,  and  by  reasonings,  can  never  believe, 
when  yet  it  is  most  true:  that  it  is  true,  might  be  evident  to 
every  one  from  this  consideration,  that  such  things  were 
so  frequently  seen  by  the  prophets." 

Both  in  this  passage,  and  in  numerous  others,  Sweden- 
borg  refers  to  those  whose  minds  are  given  to  the  abstrac- 
tions of  human  reason,  as  more  particularly  incredulous 
not  only  of  his  narratives,  but  of  others  to  the  same  effect 
presented  to  us  in  Scripture.  Let  us  inquire  into  the  rea- 
son of  this;  let  us  ascertain  whether,  on  the  supposition  of 
a  true  revelation  being  made  concerning  the  objects  exist- 
ing in  another  world,  habits  of  abstraction  would  at  all  tend 
to  make  human  philosophers  unbelievers. 

There  is  a  something  which  convinces  me  prima  facie 
that  it  would.  The  reason  is,  that,  more  particularly  in 
regard  to  mind,  philosophers  do  not  so  much  contemplate 
real  existences  as  abstractions  from  them.  They  are  more 
conversant  with  ideas  of  qualities  or  properties  abstracted 
from  substances,  than  with  ideas  of  substances  themselves. 
Now,  whether  they  arc  right  or  wrong  in  this  particular,  it 
is  not  necessary  to  consider;  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  the 
very  habit  of  abstracting  qualities  and  properties,  is  apt  to 
produce  a  tendency  in  the  mind  to  forget  substances  alto- 
gether; so  much  so,  indeed,  that  the  mind  at  length  finds 
it  can  do  very  well  without  them,  till  at  last  it  virtually 
rejects  them.  I  say,  virtually  rejects  them;  for,  although 
it  may  allow  that  such  things  are,  it  never  admits  them  as 
a  legitimate  subject  of  thought,  and  as  much  repudiates 
them  as  if  they  were  not.     The  mind  thus  contemplating 

*  The  subject  of  Svveflenborg's  visit  lo  the  celestial  abodes,  being  alluded  to 
in  the  Es?a\?,  as  one  which  is  of  no  particularly  useful  or  practical  tendency, 
it  may  be  observed,  that  our  Savior  says,  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions;"  hence,  as  the  reward  of  every  one  is  according  to  his  works,  so 
his  place  of  abofle,  or  his  mansion  in  heaven,  will  be  more  or  less  glorious  in 
proportion  to  his  degree  of  purity  or  holiness;  since,  according  to  Swedenborg, 
the  former  is  the  outward  representative  of  the  latter.  Hence  vye  see,  how  a 
narrative  concerning  the  celestial  abodes,  may  have  a  direct  relation  to  princi- 
ples of  life  and  conduct.  A  similar  oljservation  applies  to  the  raiment  of  an- 
gels, and  lo  all  other  particulars  connected  with  them  ;  narratives  of  which  may 
thus  involve  principles  of  angelic  purity  and  holiness;  and  I  would  fain  believe 
that,  as  man  is,  in  this  world,  in  a  state  of  preparation  for  an  angelic  life  here- 
after, whatever  has  a  relation  to  principles  of  angelic  purity  and  holiness  is  in 
itself  highly  practical,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  considered  by  him  to  be  such. 
The  only  ground  upon  which  he  could  regard  such  principles  as  non-practical, 
is,  that  lie  had  no  care  or  concern  upon  the  subject. 


176  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

every  thing  as  abstracted  from  a  substance,  and,  in  this 
state,  being  brought  to  reflect  on  itself,  comes  to  a  conclu- 
sion in  accordance  with  its  previous  habits;  hence  mind 
itself  is  contemplated  as  an  abstraction,  a  quality,  an 
ideality,  an  unsubstantial  something  which  approaches  so 
nearly  to  nothing,  as  almost  to  amount  to  a  negation  of  its 
existence.  How  few,  for  example,  in  the  present  day, 
think  of  applying  the  term  substance  to  mind?  Whether, 
in  so  doing,  they  are  right  or  wrong,  certain  it  is,  that  the 
very  constitution  of  mind  which  they  have  superinduced 
upon  themselves,  must  necessarily  make  them  tend  to 
reject  any  narrative  which  should  profess  to  contemplate 
as  real  and  substantial,  that  which  they  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  contemplate  as  ideal  and  unsubstantial;  and  noth- 
ing but  the  passages  in  Scripture  which  seem  to  attribute  a 
spiritual  body,  and  a  human  form,  to  the  spirit  of  man  after 
departing  Irom  the  body,  could  prevent  them  from  falling 
into  absolute  unbelief  with  regard  to  the  existence  of  the 
spirit  of  man  hereafter,  as  a  substantial  human  form. 

Need  I  go  farther  in  illustration  of  this  remark,  than  the 
following  observation  made  by  the  late  Professor  Stewart. 
Speaking  of  the  words,  substance,  and  essence,  he  re- 
marks, "Instead  of  defining  mind  to  be  a  thinking  sub- 
stance, it  seems  much  more  logically  correct  to  define  it,  a 
thinking  being.  Perhaps,  it  would  be  better  still  to  avoid, 
by  the  use  of  the  pronoun  that,  any  substantive  whatever; 
Mind  is  that  which  thinks  and  wills," — (Enc.  Britannica, 
Dissertation  1,  Note  I,  page  243.)  Here  the  terms  es- 
sence and  substance,  as  applied  to  mind,  are  summarily 
discarded;  the  latter  term  being  specifically  mentioned  in 
another  place,  (note,  page  58,)  as  implying  "a  greater 
degree  of  positive  knowledge  concerning  the  nature  of 
mind,  than  our  faculties  are  fitted  to  attain."  The  spirit 
of  man  is  thus  left  without  either  substance  or  being;  nay, 
without  spirituality,  which,  we  are  afterwards  told,  is  not 
"a  positive  but  negative  idea,  signifying  only  immateri- 
ality;" and,  as  it  were  to  preclude  all  possibility  of  our 
knowing  anything  about  the  soul,  it  is  said,  "The  charac- 
teristical  merits  of  Descartes'  Meditations,  do  not  consist 
in  the  novelty  of  the  proofs  contained  in  them  of  the  spirit- 
uality of  the  soul  (on  which  point,  Descartes  has  added 
little  or  nothing  to  what  had  been  advanced  by  his  prede- 
cessor;) but  in  the  clear  and  decisive  arguments,  by  which 
they  expose  the  absurdity  of  attempting  to  explain  the  men- 
tal phenomena,  by  analogies  borrowed  from  those  of  mat- 


THE    SPIRITUAL     WORLD.  177 

ter."  Without  reference  to  the  merits  or  demerits  of 
Descartes,  the  sum  of  the  aro;ument  is,  that  we  ought  not 
to  apply  the  term  substance  to  mind;  that  it  would  be  bet- 
ter not  to  apply  the  term  being;  that  the  term  spirituality 
conveys  only  a  negative  idea;  and  that  no  analogies  from 
matter  to  mind  are  admissible  in  explaining  the  mental 
phenomena. — How  forcibly  do  these  observations  remind 
us  of  the  words,  "  2V«e  world  by  ivisdom  hnew  not  God;''  for 
be  it  remarked,  the  very  same  observations  are  applicable, 
nay,  are  actually  applied,  by  many  writers,  to  the  Deity 
himself;  and  thus,  in  regard  both  to  God  and  man,  the  one 
as  an  Infinite,  the  other  as  a  finite  spirit,  the  abstractions 
of  human  philosophy  leave  us  equally  in  the  dark;  and 
philosophy,  by  its  wisdom,  knows  as  little  of  the  soul,  as,  it 
is  said,  by  its  wisdom  it  once  knew  of  God.  Now,  what 
does  Swedenborg  afiirm?  That  a  plain  simple  mind,  be- 
lie vino;  in  the  Lord  and  in  a  future  state,  and  living  accord- 
.  .  .  . 

ing  to  that  belief,  though,   in  other  respects,  ignorant  and 

without  the  advantages  of  education,  has  a  truer  idea  of  the 
nature  of  the  soul,  of  God,  and  of  a  future  state,  than  such 
philosophers  as  we  have  mentioned.  For  the  simple-minded 
person,  when  thinking  of  the  soul  or  spirit,  thinks  of  it  as 
of  a  substance  with  a  human  form;  and  this,  as  Sweden- 
borg shews,  is  the  real  fact.  It  is  true  that,  in  entertain- 
ing these  ideas,  an  uneducated  mind  will  think  of  form  as 
occupying  our  visible  space,  and  that  he  will  imagine  to 
himself  something  seeming  to  have  the  attributes  of  matter; 
still,  if  the  outward  image  he  thus  conceives  be  only  an 
external  sign,  in  his  natural  mind,  of  a  more  inward  and 
spiritual  thought,  his  idea  is  much  nearer  to  the  truth,  than 
that  of  philosophers,  who  contemplate  the  soul  as  having 
nothing  analogous  to  matter,  as  being  without  form  or  sub- 
stance; and  who,  consequently,  fall  into  doubt  and  uncer- 
tainty, or,  it  may  be,  absolute  unbelief,  with  regard  to  every 
thing  relating  to  the  soul,  to  the  spiritual  world,  or  to  vis- 
ions, as  they  are  described  in  the  Word  of  God;  for  it  is 
impossible  to  reconcile  the  scriptural  idea  of  soul  and 
spirit,  which  imply  body,  substance,  and  form,  with  a  phi- 
losophy which  repudiates  all.  If  the  person  believe  in 
spite  of  the  philosophy,  well;  but  so  far  as  the  philosophy 
itself  is  concerned,  it  is  not  only  sceptical,  but  infidel. 
Alas!  well  may  Swedenborg  call  such  ideas,  or,  rather, 
absence  of  all  ideas  respecting  the  soul, — not  the  progress, 
but  the  regress, — not  the  revival,  but  the  perdition, — of  all 
sound  philosophy.     It  is  an  ancient  proverb,  that  as  the  tree 


178  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

falls,  SO  it  lies;  that  we  go  into  the  other  world  with  the 
same  character  of  mind,  the  same  habits  of  feeling  and 
thought,  which  we  had  acquired  to  ourselves  in  this.  What 
is  the  consequence?  Do  we  imagine  that,  when  we  have 
entered  into  the  other  world,  and  carried  our  sceptical 
habits  with  us,  they  will  necessarily  be  removed  by  the 
evidence  of  the  senses?  Such  is  not  the  law  of  the  human 
mind  in  our  present  life.  Where  habits  of  scepticism  are 
superinduced,  and  confirmed,  they  can  influence  even  the 
senses,  and  make  a  person  doubt  the  reality  of  any  thing  he 
sees.  Has  not  the  system  of  idealism  verified  this  fact.-* — 
a  system,  according  to  which  nothing  is  considered  as  hav- 
ing a  real,  but  every  thing,  in  spite  of  the  senses,  an  ideal 
or  unsubstantial  existence. 

Now,  where  a  person  speaks  from  internal  conviction, 
or  from  a  conclusion  to  which  he  has  arrived  by  the  exer- 
cise of  his  rational  powers,  the  conclusion  to  which  he  thus 
comes,  is  the  real  interior  thought  of  his  mind.  If,  there- 
fore, he  is  taught  any  thing  in  religion  contrary  to  this,  and 
he  says  it  is  so,  because  it  is  a  matter  of  faith,  the  article 
of  a  creed,  and,  therefore,  that  he  ought  to  believe  it;  this 
is  a  mere  external  admission, — a  truth  which  has  no  root 
in  his  mind;  because,  when  left  to  himself  and  to  his  own 
principles,  he  comes  either  to  the  opposite  conclusion,  or 
to  a  state  of  doubt  upon  the  subject.  This  latter  is,  there- 
fore, his  real  creed,  and  not  the  former;  this  it  is  which  is 
the  habit  of  thought  superinduced  upon  his  rational  facul- 
ties, not  the  former;  these  are  the  principles  upon  which 
his  mind  has  been  constituted,  not  the  former;  and  here, 
therefore,  we  see  the  consequences  of  that  species  of  met- 
aphysics or  philosophy,  which,  in  regard  to  mind,  deals 
only  in  abstractions,  and  rejects  realities. 

AVhy,  then,  have  I  adverted  to  this  subject?  Because 
the  study  of  this  kind  of  philosophy  has  had  a  considerable 
influence  over  the  higher  classes  in  this  country;  and,  if  I 
mistake  not,  over  the  minds  of  many  divines,  who,  in  their 
education,  have  been  taught  to  receive  these  principles  as 
genuine  philosophy.  What  is  the  consequence?  The 
very  idea  of  a  vision  comes  to  be  ridiculed;  whoever  pro- 
fesses to  have  seen  one,  is  at  once  set  down  as,  necessa- 
rily,   a  person   of  disordered    imagination;*    all    sorts    of 

♦  Dr.  Bliddloton,  in  his  "Free  In(iiiirv,"  a{teni|)ts  to  shew  the  falsity  of  an 
alleged  vision  in  the  eailj  ages  of  the  church,  on  tiie  ground,  that  it  represented 
the  soul  in  a  coiporeal  human  form. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  179 

learned  hypotheses  are  invented  to  account  for  the  phe- 
nomenon; while  arguments  are  brought  forward  against 
the  narratives  of  Swedenborg,  which,  if  true,  overthrow 
the  authority  of  Scripture  at  once,  and  reduce  all  the 
prophets  to  the  character  of  madmen,  visionaries,  or  im- 
postors. For,  with  what  sort  of  feeling  can  readers  turn 
from  any  book,  which  they  are  taught  to  believe  contains 
true  philosophy,  and  where  the  mind  is  treated  of  only  as  a 
quality,  or  abstract  thinking  principle,  to  another  book 
which  they  are  taught  to  believe  contains  no  true  philoso- 
phy, and  where  the  mind  is  treated  of  as  a  substance  and 
form.'*  Surely,  it  is  a  substance  and  form,  or  it  is  not;  if 
it  be,  there  must  be  something  radically  wrong,  or  radically 
deficient,  in  that  philosophy  which  excludes  the  idea.  Sup- 
pose, however,  a  person  reads  the  writings  of  Swedenborg 
under  the  impression,  that  the  mind  is  only  an  abstract 
thinking  principle,  what  will  be  his  natural  suggestions? 
That  Swedenborg  is  considering  as  real,  that  which  is  un- 
real; that  he  is  mistaking  qualities  or  properties,  for  sub- 
stances; abstractions,  for  actual  existences;  and  hence, 
that  he  is  giving  proofs  of  that  sort  of  distempered  fancy, 
which  mistakes  its  ideas  for  realities.  Assuredly,  if  it  be 
the  mark  of  a  distempered  mind  to  attribute  a  real  exist- 
ence to  that  which  has  none,  it  is  equally  the  mark  of  a 
distempered  mind,  to  deprive  a  real  existence  of  that,  in 
virtue  of  which  alone  it  is  real.  I  am  convinced,  that  one 
ground  of  prejudice  against  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  is, 
that  he  considers  the  mind  of  man  as  a  substance  and  form; 
and  that,  in  consequence,  he  is  led  into  modes  of  expres- 
sion so  different  from  those  which  are  commonly  adopted, 
that  the  learned  of  modern  days  consider  his  language 
either  as  unintelligible,  or  as  betraying  a  creative  fancy. 

A  modern  physiologist  observes,  that  we  must  not  call 
the  mind  a  substance;  because,  to  do  so,  is  a  species  of 
materialism?  Why  is  it  a  species  of  materialism?  Sure- 
ly the  materialists  are  they  who  do  not  apply  the  term 
substance  to  the  soul,  and  not  those  who  do;  inasmuch 
as  they  are  unable  to  form  any  other  than  a  material  idea 
of  substance.  Is  it  not  confessed  to  be  a  fundamental 
doctrine  of  theology,  that  God  is  a  substance? — that,  al- 
though there  are  three  persons,  there  is  one  substance?  Is 
this  materialism?  If  not,  why  is  it  materialism  to  call  the 
soul  a  substance?  Or  how  is  it,  that  a  Divine  substance  can 
exercise  its  influence  upon  that  which  is  no  substance? 
Truly,  if  we  allow  this  doctrine  of  unsubstantiality  to  pre- 


180  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

vail,  it  must  lead  to  a  direct  negation  of  the  real  existence 
of  God,  and  of  the  soul;  for  every  man  of  common  sense 
will  ask,  how  can  that  be  real  which  is  unsubstantial?  Must 
not  its  existence,  after  all,  be  ideal?  It  is  against  these 
doctrines,  my  Lord,  that  Swedenborg  raises  the  voice  of  a 
divine  philosophy.  Call  it  speculation,  theory,  fancy,  or 
what  other  names  our  opponents  may  please,*  we  cannot 
cease,  as  sincere  Christians,  to  protest  against  principles, 
the  only  tendency  of  which  is,  to  undermine  the  foundation 
of  all  true  religion,  and  all  true  philosophy. 

Not  only,  however,  does  Swedenborg  maintain  that  the 
soul  is  not  a  mere  quality,  not  a  mere  property,  not  an 
abstract  thinking  principle,  but  a  distinct  substance  and 
form, — in  fine,  a  spirit  dwelling  within  the  body;  but  that 
thought,  or  idea,  is  only  a  variation  of  that  form;  hence, 
that  thought  implies  a  thinking  substance,  as  much  as  sight, 
or  hearing,  implies  a  seeing  and  hearing  substance;  tbat  it 
is  as  absurd  to  contemplate  thought  as  a  something  inde- 
pendent of  the  substance  of  the  soul  or  spirit,  as  it  is  to 
contemplate  sight  or  hearing  as  a  something  independent  of 
the  substance  of  the  eye  or  the  ear.  Hence,  that  when  a 
man  thinks,  more  particularly  when  he  thinks  freely  from 
his  own  affection,  his  thought  is  a  variation  of  the  form  of 
the  substance  of  his  soul;  that,  if  he  be  a  good  man,  this 
form  is  a  form  of  heaven,  an  image  and  likeness  of  God; 
and  that  the  more  he  goes  on  to  perfection,  the  more  heav- 
enly and  perfect  is  his  spiritual  form,  and  hence  his  spirit- 
ual thought;  that  if  he  be  a  wicked  man,  his  form  is  the 
form  of  hell;  and  the  more  wicked  he  is,  the  more  infernal 
are  the  form  and  thought  of  his  spirit.  Thus  we  see,  that 
in  every  thought  there  is  either  heaven  or  hell;  in  fine, 
that  every  thought  contains  whhin  itself  the  whole  man, 
however  simple  or  uncompounded  it  may  appear  to  us. 
Our  thoughts  in  general,  however,  present  to  us  an  appear- 
ance somewhat  like  the  motions  of  the  hand  on  the  face  of 
a  dial.  How  simple  does  the  motion  appear!  Yet  when 
we  come  to  look  within,  the  higher  we  trace  the  motion 
toward  the  spring,  or  the  more  interiorly  we  examine  the 
machine,  particularly  if  it  be  complex,  the  more  compound- 
ed do  we  perceive  the  motion  of  the  hands  to  be.      Thus, 

*  The  Oxford  Tracts  speak  of  Swedenbor^Ianiem,  as  a  mixture  of  imposture 
and  dehision.  The  observation  is  one,  which  miglit  natmally  lie  expected  to 
come  from  a  thoolo<Tical  sciiool,  one  of  whose  distinguishing  tenets  is,  that  as 
the  Scripture  is  the  ivrittcn  Word  of  God,  so  tradition  is  the  unwritten  Word  of 
God. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  181 

the  case  is  the  same  with  regard  to  the  human  spiritual 
body,  as  with  regard  to  the  human  natural,  or  material 
body.  Lift  only  an  arm,  move  but  a  finger,--what  endless 
machinery,  what  a  complexity  of  operations  is  requishe  to 
produce  this  single  motion!  Analyze  this  motion,  and  we 
resolve  it  into  endless  particulars,  which,  when  compound- 
ed, appear  simple  and  uncompounded.  In  both  cases,  the 
less  instructed  is  the  mind,  the  more  simple  or  uncompound- 
ed will  the  subject  of  examination  appear. 

Before  concluding  this  part  of  the  letter,  it  may  be  re- 
quisite to  make  another  observation. 

We  commonly  pray  to  God,  that  he  will  send  us  the 
influence  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  and  inspire  us  with  holy 
thoui^hts.  But  what  do  we  mean  by  this  influence?  It  is 
welllnown,  that  it  is  a  term  to  which  no  distinct  idea  is 
generally  attached.  Uier^Wy ,  it  means  infloimig,  commonly 
called  by  Swedenborg  influx.  But  if  the  mind  and  thought 
be  an  abstraction,  what  influx  or  influence*  can  there 
be  into  an  abstraction  >  How  can  there  be  an  influence  into 
that  which  has  no  substantial  existence.?  And  if  substance 
be  considered  as  pertaining  only  to  that  whicb  is  material, 
how  can  that  which  is  unsubstantial  have  any  influence 
upon  that  which  is  unsubstantial.?  There  was  a  time  when 
the  term  influence  conveyed  a  clear  and  distinct  idea; 
when  authors  spoke  of  divine  influence  into  the  soul;  but 
now  that  our  notions  have  become  more  external,  and,  par- 
ticularly in  matters  of  theology,  dwell  more  upon  the  out- 
side of  things,  it  is  more  convenient  to  speak  onnfliience 
upon  than  of  influence  into;  the  former  expression  being 
well  adapted  to  signify  the  operation  of  a  power  from  with- 
out, but  not  the  operation  of  a  power  from  within;  that  is 
to  say,  it  seems  to  harmonize  more  with  the  idea  of  what 
is  external,  than  of  what  is  internal.  Thus  the  term  influ- 
ence, which  once  expressed  a  clear  idea,  now  expresses  an 
obscure  one ;  and  any  attempt  to  regain  the  clear  idea  in 
place  of  the  obscure  one,  is  too  often  considered  to  be  pre- 
sumption. It  involves,  we  are  told,  a  theory.  What  the- 
ory.?   The  theory  that  the  soul  is  a  real  spiritual  substance, 

*  Speaking  of  the  various  upcs  of  the  terms  influx  and  influence,  Stewart  ob- 
serves, "  In  all  these  cases  there  will  be  found,  at  bottom,  one  common  idea,_ 
the  existence  of  some  secret  arid  mysterious  connection  between  two  thmgs,  of 
which  connection  it  is  conceived  to  be  impossible  or  unwise  to  trace  what  Ba- 
con calls  the  latens processus."  Dissertation  1.,  note  A  A,  The  course  of  this 
alleged  impossibility  and  impropriety  we  have  already  intimated. 

16 


182  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

into  which  the  Divine  Spirit  flows,  as  The  Substance  of  all 
substances. 

No  wonder  that  when  such  obscure  ideas,  as  we  have 
pointed  out,  are  introduced  into  theology,  the  whole  sub- 
ject should  be  overclouded  with  darkness  and  mystery  ;  and 
theology,  like  the  sciences  of  old,  become  loaded  with 
occult  expressions  and  occult  ideas,  which,  while  it  is  im- 
agined they  convey  a  positive  knowledge,  because  we  are 
familiar  with  the  terms,  leave  the  mind  precisely  in  the 
darkness  in  which  it  was  before. 

"It  is  impossible,  (says  Swedenborg,  in  one  of  his  de- 
scriptions of  the  spiritual  world.  Arcana  Coelestia,  6053, 
6054,)  that  any  thing  should  be  known,  or  even  thought, 
respecting  influx,  and  the  commerce  of  the  soul  with  the 
body,  unless  we  know  what  the  soul  is,  and  also  somewhat 
concerning  its  quality.  If  the  soul  be  a  thing  unknown, 
nothing  can  be  said  concerning  its  influx  and  intercourse; 
for  how  can  the  communication  of  two  parts  be  a  subject  of 
thought,  when  the  mind  is  in  total  ignorance  concerning 
the  quality  of  one  of  them?  That  ignorance  prevails  as  to 
every  quality  of  the  soul,  especially  in  the  learned  world, 
may  be  manifest  from  this  consideration,  that  some  believe 
it  to  be  a  certain  ethereal  principle;  some,  a  principle  of 
flame  or  fire;  some,  a  principle  of  pure  thought;  some,  a 
principle  of  general  vitality;  some,  a  principle  of  natural 
activity;  and  a  still  further  proof  of  the  prevailing  igno- 
rance concerning  the  nature  of  the  soul,  is,  that  various 
places  in  the  body  are  assigned  it;  some  place  it  in  the 
heart;  some  in  the  brain,  and  in  the  fibres  there;  others, 
in  the  striated  bodies;  others,  in  the  ventricles;  others,  in 
the  small  gland;  and  some,  in  every  part;  but,  in  this  case, 
they  conceive  of  a  vital  principle,  such  as  is  common  to 
every  living  thing;  from  which  considerations  it  is  evident, 
that  nothing  is  known  concerning  the  soul;  and  this  is  the 
reason  why  all  that  has  been  asserted  on  the  subject, 
is  grounded  in  mere  conjecture.  And  whereas  it  was 
impossible,  thus  to  form  any  idea  respecting  the  soul, 
the  generality  of  mankind  could  not  but  believe,  that 
the  soul  is  a  mere  principle  of  vitality,  which,  when 
the    body    dies,    is    dissipated*;     and    hence  it    is,    that 

*  A  modern  physiologist,  -who  speaks  of  Swedenborg  as  a  monomaniac, 
instructs  his  pupils,  by  way  of  contrast  perhaps  to  Swedenborgian  fancies  and 
speculations,  in  the  following  more  sound  and  Christian  principles: — "[Seeing 
that  the  brain  thinks,  and  feels,  and  wills,  as  clearly  as  that  the  liver  has  the 
power  of  producing  bile,  and  does  produce  it,  and  a  salt  the  powerof  producing  a 
certain  form,  and  does  crystallize,  he  leaves  others  at  liberty  to  fancy  an  hypothesis 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  183 

the  learned  have  less  belief  in  a  life  after  death  than  the 
simple;  and,  in  consequence  of  such  unbelief,  neither  can 
they  believe  in  those  things  appertaining  to  that  life,  which 

of  it?  power  being  a  subtle,  material,  immortal  substance  {qy.  or  fluid,) 
exactly  as  they  fancy  life  to  be  a  subtle  fluid,  or  perhaps,  though  very  extraordi- 
narily, the  same  subtle  fluid  (if  subtlety  is  immateriality  and  inunortality ;) 
elucidating  the  subject  no  more  than  in  the  case  of  life,  and  equally  increasing 
the  number  of  its  diliiculties;  as  though  we  were  not  created  beings,  or  not  al- 
together ignorant  what  matter  is,  or  of  what  it  is  cajjable  and  incapable;  as 
though  matter  exhibited  nothing  but  extension,  impenetrability,  attraction, 
and  inertness;  and  as  though  an  Almighty  could  not,  if  it  seemed  good  to  him, 
have  endowed  it,  as  he  most  evidently  has,  with  the  su|)eraddition  of  life,  and 

even  of  feeling  and  will The  physical  inquirer,  finding  the  mind  a  power  of 

tlie  brain,  and  abstaining  from  hypothesis,  must  conclude  that,  in  the  present 
order  of  things,  when  the  brain  ceases  to  live,  the  power  necessarily  ceases; 
that,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  dust  we  are,  and  unto  dust  we  all  return;  that 
our  being  is  utterly  extinguished,  and  we  go  back  to  the  insensibility  of  the 
earth  whence  we  were  taken.  Our  consciousness  of  personality  can  aiford  no 
reason  for  imagining  ourselves  immortal  and  distinct  from  earth,  more  than 
brutes;  for  this  the  fly  possesses  equally  with  the  philosopher, about  whose 
head  it  buzzes.'' — All  the  arguments  in  proof  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  as  de- 
duced from  the  moral  government  of  God,  the  improveableness  of  oui'  characters, 
&c.,  he  very  simimarily  dismisses,  as  partly  originating  in  a  desire  to  explain  eve- 
ry thing.  He  says,  that  at  death  we  are  utterly  extinct;  but,  nevertheless,  that 
we  are  required,  as  Christians,  to  believe  in  the  resurrection,  which  is  a  miracle, 
and,  as  such,  is  contrary  to  the  real  order  of  things.  That  it  is  then  our  bodies 
that  rise,  for  that  the  Christian  doctrine  teaches  the  lesurrection  of,  what 
we  obviously  are,  bodies,  that  is,  material  bodies,  endowed  with  the  su- 
peraddition  of  life,  feeling,  and  will. — Such  is  the  sound  philosophy  which  this 
author  substitutes  for  the  speculations  of  Swedenborg;  in  sujjport  of  which,  he 
calls  to  his  aid  ihe  lucubrations  of  Bishop  Law,Bisho|)  V^'atson,  Locke,  and  other 
eminent  writers.  Here,  then,  we  have  an  illustration  of  the  following  comment  of 
Swedenborg  on  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  Arc.  Ccel.  196. 
"  The  sensual  man,  or  he  who  believes  only  his  senses,  denies  the  existence  of 
spirit,  because  he  does  not  see  it.  <  It  is  nothing,'  says  he,  '  because  I  am  not 
sensible  of  it.  What  I  see  and  touch,  that  I  am  [)ersuaded  has  existence.'  The 
scientific  man,  or  he  who  forms  his  conclusions  from  the  sciences,  says  within 
himself,  '  What  is  spirit  but  a  casual  vapor,  or  heat,  or  some  other  thing  (which 
he  denominates  by  some  term  appertainiu"  to  science,)  and  which  vanishes  as 
soon  as  such  vapor,  heat,  &c.  is  extinguished'?  Have  not  other  animals 
their  bodies,  senses,  and  something  analogous  to  reason!  and  yet  we  pro- 
nounce them  to  be  mortal,  and  the  spirit  of  man  to  be  immortal  !'  Thus  lie 
reasons  himself  into  a  denial  of  the  existence  of  a  spirit.  In  like  manner,  phi- 
losophical men,  who  wish  to  have  more  discernment  than  others,  speak  of  spirit 
in  terms  which  they  themselves  are  unacquainted  with;  as  is  evident  from  their 
disputing  about  them,  contending  that  not  a  single  expression  is  applicable  to 
spirit  which  is  at  all  grounded  in  any  thing  material,  organical,  or  extended ; 
thus  they  remove  it  from  their  ideas  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  entirely  vanishes 
in  respect  to  them,  and  becomes — a  mere  nothing.  Nevertheless,  the  wiser  sort 
of  these  piiilosophers  assert  spirit  to  be  a  thinking  principle;  but,  in  their  rea- 
sonings about  this  thinking  ))rinciple,  in  consequence  of  separating  it  from  the 
idea  of  substantiality,  (hey  at  length  conclude  that  it  must  needs  vanish  when 
tlte  body  dies.  Thus,  all  who  ground  their  reasonings  in  mere  sensual,  scien- 
tific, and  philosophical  principles,  deny  the  existence  of  spirit,  and,  in  so  doing, 
they  become  altogether  incredulous  as  to  whatever  is  asserted  in  relation  to  spirit 
mid  spiritual  things.  Not  so  the  simple  in  heart;  if  they  are  questioned  con- 
cerning the  existence  of  spirit,  they  declare  their  unfeigned  belief  therein,  be- 


184  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

are  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  of  faith  and  love.  This 
is  also  evident  from  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthew:  'Thou 
hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  intelligent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  infants,''  (xi,  25.)  And  again,  'seeing 
they  do  not  see,  and  hearing  they  do  not  hear,  neither  do 
they  understand,'  (xiii,  13;)  for  the  simple  think  no  such 
thing  concerning  the  soul,  but  believe  that  they  shall  live 
after  death;  in  which  simple  faith,  lies  concealed,  although 
they  are  not  aware  of  it,  a  belief  that  they  shall  live  there 
as  men,  shall  see  angels,  shall  discourse  with  them,  and 
enjoy  happiness. 

"As  to  what  concerns  the  soul,  of  which  it  is  said  that  it 
shall  live  after  death,  it  is  nothing  else  but  the  man  himself, 

cause  the  Lord  hath  said  that  thi^y  should  contiinie  to  live  after  death.  Thus 
they  do  not  extinguish  their  rational  principle,  but  cause  it  to  live  by  the  Word 
of  the  Lord." 

Arc.  ClpI.  10,099.  "  Most  of  the  learned,  at  this  day,  have  no  other  idea 
concerning  things  successive,  than  as  what  is  continuous,  or,  what  coheres  by 
continuity.  In  consequence  of  having  this  idea  concerning  the  succession  of 
things,  they  cannot  conceive  what  is  the  discrimination  between  the  exteriors 
and  interiors  of  man,  consequently,  neither  between  the  body  and  the  spirit  of 
man;  wherefore,  when  they  think  of  those  things  from  those  ideas,  they 
cannot  at  all  understand  that  the  spirit  of  man,  after  the  dissipation  or 
death  of  the  body,  can  live  under  a  human  form. — But  things  successive  are  not 
connected  continuously,  but  discretely;  that  is,  distinctly  according  to  degrees; 
for  inferior  things  are  altogether  distinct  from  exterior,  insomuch  that  exterior 
things  may  be  separated,  whilst  interior  things  still  continue  in  their  life. 
Hence  it  is,  that  man  can  he  withdrawn  from  the  body  and  think  in  his  spirit; 
or,  according  to  a  form  of  speaking  in  use  amongst  the  ;incients,  can  be  with- 
drawn from  things  sensual,  and  elevated  towards  things  interior.  The  an- 
cients, also,  knew,  that  when  man  is  withdrawn  from  the  sensual  things  which 
are  of  the  body,  he  is  withdrawn  or  elevated  into  the  light  of  his  spirit,  thus  into 
the  light  of  heaven.  Hence,  likewise,  the  learned  ancients  knew,  that  when 
the  body  was  dissipated  they  should  live  an  interior  life,  which  they  called  their 
spirit:  and,  whereas  they  regarded  that  life  as  the  very  human  life  itself,  they 
thence  also  knew  that  they  should  live  under  a  human  form.  Such  was  the  idea 
which  they  had  concerning  the  soul  of  man ;  and  since  that  life  was  in  aiiinity 
with  life  divine,  they  hence  perceived  that  their  soul  was  immortal;  for  they 
knew  that  that  part  of  man  which  was  in  affinity  with  life  divine,  and  thus  con- 
joined to  it,  cannot  in  any  wise  die.  But  this  idea  concerning  the  soul  and 
concerning  the  spirit  of  man,  after  those  ancient  limes,  disapjjeared  ;  bv  reason, 
as  was  said  above,  of  the  want  of  a  just  idea  of  things  successive.  Hence,  also, 
it  is,  that  they  who  think  from  modern  erudition,  do  not  know  that  there  is  a 
spiritual  principle,  and  that  this  is  distinct  from  what  is  natural;  for  they  who 
have  an  idea  of  things  successive  as  of  what  is  continuous,  cannot  conceive  of 
what  is  s|)iritual  any  otherwise  than  as  of  somewhat  more  purely  natural; 
when  yet  they  are  distinct  from  each  other,  like  what  is  prior  and  what  is 
posterior,  thus,  as  that  which  begets  and  that  which  is  begotten;  hence  it  is, 
that  by  persons  of  such  erudition  the  discrimination  is  not  apprehended 
between  the  internal  or  spiritual  man,  and  between  the  external  or  natural; 
thus  neither  between  man's  internal  thought  and  will,  and  his  external 
thought  and  will.  Hence,  also,  they  are  unable  to  comprehend  any  thing  con- 
cerning faith  anrl  love,  conceriiing  heaven  and  hell,  and  concerning  the  life  of 
man  after  death." 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  185 

who  lives  in  the  body,  that  is  the  interior  man,  who  by  the 
body  acts  in  the  world,  and  who  gives  to  the  body  to  live; 
this  man,  when  he  is  loosed  from  the  body,  is  called  a  spirit, 
and  appears  in  this  case  altogether  in  a  human  form;  yet 
cannot  in  any  wise  be  seen  by  the  eyes  of  the  body,  but  by 
the  eyes  of  the  spirit;  and  before  the  eyes  of  the  latter  ap- 
pears as  a  man  in  the  world,  hath  senses,  viz,  of  touch,  of 
smell,  of  hearing,  of  seeing,  much  more  exquisite  than  in 
the  world;  hath  appetites^  cupidities,  desires,  affections, 
loves,  such  as  in  the  world,  but  in  a  more  excellent  degree; 
thinks  also  as  in  the  world,  but  more  perfectly;  discourses 
with  others;  in  a  word,  he  is  there  as  in  the  world,  insomuch 
that,  if  he  doth  not  reflect  upon  the  circumstance  of  his 
being  in  the  other  life,  he  knows  no  other  than  that  he  is 
in  the  world,  which  I  have  occasionally  heard  from  spirits; 
for  the  life  after  death  is  a  continuation  of  the  life  in  the 
v/orld.  This,  then,  is  the  soul  of  man  which  lives  after 
death.  But,  lest  the  idea  should  fall  upon  somewhat  un- 
known by  using  the  term  soul,  in  consequence  of  the  con- 
jectures and  hypotheses  concerning  it,  it  is  better  to  say  the 
spirit  of  man,  or,  if  you  prefer  it,  the  interior  man;  for  it 
appears  there  altogether  as  a  man,  with  all  the  members 
and  organs  that  man  hath,  and  it  is  also  the  real  man  him- 
self in  the  body.  That  this  is  the  case,  may  also  be  mani- 
fest from  the  angels  seen,  as  recorded  in  the  Word,  who 
were  all  seen  in  the  human  form;  for  all  the  angels  in 
heaven  have  a  human  form,  because  the  Lord  hath, 
who  after  his  resurrection  appeared  so  often  as  a  man. 
The  ground  and  reason  why  an  angel  and  the  spirit  of  a 
man  is  a  man  in  form,  is,  because  the  universal  heaven  from 
the  Lord  hath  (a  tendency)  to  conspire  to  a  human  form, 
whence  the  universal  heaven  is  called  the  greatest  created 
human  form;  and  whereas  the  Lord  lives  in  every  individu- 
al in  heaven,  and  by  influx  from  the  universal  heaven  acts 
upon  every  individual,  therefore  every  angel  is  an  image 
thereof,  that  is,  a  form  most  perfectly  human;  as,  in  like 
manner,  is  man  after  death." 

Thus  have  we  presented  a  very  general  outline  of  Swe- 
denborg's  ideas,  in  regard  to  the  soul  or  spirit  of  man, 
which  is  here  done  for  two  reasons;  first,  because  the  dis- 
belief that  the  soul  is  a  substance  and  form,  is  often  the 
ground  of  disbelief  in  Swedenborg's  alleged  revelations; 
for  how  can  any  one  who  believes  the  soul  to  be  extinguish- 
ed at  death,  and  that,  independently  of  the  body,  it  has 
neither  form  nor  substance,  give  credit  to  a  narrative  which 
16* 


186  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

treats  of  the  soul  as  possessing  both,  and  living,  immediate- 
ly after  its  separation  from  the  body,  in  a  higher  exercise  of 
its  powers  than  it  did  before?  The  second  reason  for  which 
this  general  outline  is  furnished,  is,  because  it  is  proposed 
to  add  a  few  brief  remarks  upon  the  subject  of  analogy;  and 
it  would  have  been  useless  to  speak  of  any  relations  be- 
tween two  things,  of  one  of  which  we  are  wholly  ignorant; 
it  being  but  empty  sound  to  speak  of  analogy  between  that 
which  has  substance  and  form,  and  that  which  has  neither; 
or  between  two  things,  of  one  of  which  we  are  wholly 
ignorant. 

As,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  there  is  no  little  tendency,  in 
some  classes  of  the  Christian  community,  to  treat  the  sub- 
ject of  analogy,  as  explained  by  Swedenborg,  either  with 
unconcern  or  ridicule,  perhaps  I  cannot  better  introduce 
the  few  remarks  which  are  intended  to  be  made  upon  it, 
than  by  the  following  quotation  from  the  work  of  an 
author,*  who  was  an  ornament  to  the  Church  of  England. 

"  God  made  the  universe  and  all  the  creatures  contained 
therein,  as  so  many  glasses  wherein  he  might  reflect  his  own 
^lory.  He  hath  copied  forth  Himself  in  the  creation;  and, 
in  this  outward  world,  we  may  read  the  lovely  characters 
of  the  Divine  goodness,  power,  and  wisdom.  In  some 
creatures,  there  are  darker  representations  of  God,  there 
are  the  prints  and  footsteps  of  God;  but  in  others,  there  are 
clearer  and  fuller  representations  of  the  Divinity,  the  face 
and  image  of  God;  according  to  that  known  saying  of  the 
schoolmen,  Remoiiorcs  similitudines  creatrn'OK  ad  Beimi  di- 
cuntur  vestigium;  j^ropinquiores  vero  imago.  But  how  to 
find  God  here,  and  feelingly  to  converse  with  Him,  and, 
being  affected  with  the  sense  of  the  Divine  glory  shining 
out  upon  the  creation,  how  to  pass  out  of  the  sensible  world 
into  the  intellectual,  is  not  so  effectually  taught  by  that 
philosophy  which  professed  it  most,  as  by  true  religion. 
That  which  knits  and  unites  God  and  the  soul  together, 
can  best  teach  it  how  to  ascend  and  descend  upon  those 
golden  links,  that  unite,  as  it  were,  the  world  to  God.  That 
Divine  wisdom  that  contrived  and  beautified  this  glorious 
structure,  can  best  explain  her  own  art,  and  carry  up  the 
soul  back  again,  in  these  reflected  beams,  to  Him  who  is  the 
fountain  of  them.  Though  good  men  all  of  them  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  all  those  philosophical  notions,  touching  the 

*  Select  Discourses,  Chap.  8,  by  John  Smith,  Fellow  of  Queen's  College, 
Cambridge. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  187 

relation  between  the  created  and  the  uncreated  being;  yet, 
may  they  easily  find  every  creature  pointing  out  to  that  Being 
whose  image  and  superscription  it  bears,  and  climb  up  from 
those  darker  resemblances  of  the  Divine  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, shining  out  in  different  degrees  upon  several  creatures, 
CUU7TFQ  acruSud^uoig  rtai  as  the  ancients  speak;  till  they  sweetly 
repose  themselves  in  the  bosom  of  the  Divinity:  and,  while 
they  are  thus  conversing  with  this  lower  world,  and  are 
viewing  '  ike  invisible  things  of  God  in  the  things  that  are 
made'  in  this  visible  and  outward  creation, — they  find  God 
many  times  secretly  flowing  into  their  souls,  and  leading 
them  silently  out  of  the  court  of  the  temple  into  the  holy 
place.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  wicked  men.  They  dwell 
perpetually  upon  the  dark  side  of  the  creatures,  and  con- 
verse with  these  things  only  in  a  gross,  sensual,  earthly, 
and  unspiritual  manner.  They  are  so  encompassed  with 
the  thick  and  foggy  mist  of  their  owm  corruptions,  that  they 
cannot  see  God  there,  where  he  is  most  visible — '  The  light 
shineth  in  darkness,  hiU  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not;'  their 
souls  are  so  deeply  sunk  into  that  house  of  clay  which  they 
carry  about  with  them,  that,  were  there  nothing  of  body  or 
bulky  matter  before  them,  they  could  And  nothing  to  exer- 
cise themselves  about. 

"  But  religion,  where  it  is  in  truth  and  in  power,  renews 
the  very  spirit  of  our  minds;  and  doth  in  a  manner  spirit- 
ualize this  outward  creation  to  us;  and  doth,  in  a  more  ex- 
cellent way,  perform  that  which  the  Peripatetics  are  wont 
to  affirm  of  their  intellectus  agens,  in  purging  bodily  and 
material  things  from  the  feculency  and  dregs  of  matter, 
and  separating  them  from  those  circumstantiating  and 
straitening  conditions  of  time  and  place,  and  the  like;  and 
teaches  the  soul  to  look  at  those  perfections  which  it  finds 
here  below,  not  so  much  as  the  perfections  of  this  or  that 
body,  as  they  adorn  this  or  that  particular  being,  but  as 
they  are  so  many  rays  issuing  forth  from  that  first  and  es- 
sential perfection,  in  which  they  all  meet  and  embrace  one 
another  in  the  most  close  friendship.  Every  particular 
good  is  a  blossom  of  the  first  goodness;  every  created  ex- 
cellency is  a  beam  descending  from  the  Father  of  lights: 
and  should  we  separate  all  these  particularities  from  God, 
all  affection  spent  upon  them  would  be  unchaste,  and  their 
embraces  adulterous.  We  should  love  all  things  in  God, 
and  God  in  all  things;  because  He  is  All  in  All,  the  Begin- 
ning and  Original  of  being,  the  Perfect  Idea  of  their  good- 
ness, and  The  End  of  their  motion.     It  is  nothing  but  a 


188  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

thick  mist  of  pride  and  self-love,  that  hinders  men's  eyes 
from  beholding  that  sun  which  both  enlightens  them,  and  all 
things  else.  But  when  true  religion  begins  once  to  dawn 
upon  men's  souls,  and,  with  its  shining  light,  chases  away 
their  black  night  of  ignorance,  then  they  behold  themselves 
and  all  things  else,  enlightened,  though  in  a  different  way, 
by  one  and  the  same  Sun;  and  all  the  powers  of  their  souls 
fall  down  before  God,  and  ascribe  all  glory  to  Him.  Now 
it  is,  that  a  good  man  is  no  more  solicitous  whether  this  or 
that  good  thing  be  mine,  or  whether  any  perfections  ex- 
ceed the  measure  of  this  or  that  particular  creature;  for 
whatsoever  good  he  beholds  any  where,  he  enjoys  and  de- 
lights in  it,  as  much  as  if  it  were  his  own;  and  whatever 
he  beholds  in  himself,  he  looks  not  upon  it  as  his  property, 
but  as  a  common  good ;  for  all  these  beams  come  from  one 
and  the  same  fountain  and  ocean  of  light,  in  whom  he 
loves  them  all  with  a  universal  love.  When  his  affections 
run  along  the  stream  of  any  created  excellences,  whether 
his  own  or  any  one's  else,  yet  they  stay  not  here,  but  run 
on  till  they  fall  into  the  ocean;  they  do  not  settle  into  a  fond 
love  and  admiration,  either  of  himself  or  any  other's  ex- 
cellences; but  he  owns  them  as  so  many  pure  efTusions  and 
emanations  from  God;  and,  in  a  particular  being,  loves  the 
universal  goodness.  Si  scireiur  c),  me  Veritas,  scireiur  etiam 
me  illud  non  esse,  aid  illud  non  esse  meum,  nee  li  me. 

"Thus  may  a  good  man  walk  up  and  down  the  world,  as 
in  a  garden  of  spices,  and  suck  a  divine  sweetness  out  of 
every  flower.  There  is  a  two-fold  meaning  in  every  crea- 
ture, as  the  Jews  speak  of  their  law,  a  literal  and  a  mysti- 
cal; and  the  one  is  but  the  ground  of  the  other:  and,  as 
they  say  of  divers  pieces  of  their  law,  so  a  good  man  says 
of  every  thing  that  his  senses  ofler  to  him,  '//  speaks  to  his 
lower  part,  bid  it  points  out  something  above  to  his  mind  and 
spirit."  It  is  the  drowsy  and  muddy  spirit  of  superstition, 
which,  being  lulled  asleep  in  the  lap  of  worldly  delights,  is 
fain  to  set  some  idol  at  its  elbow;  something  that  may  joy 
it,  and  put  it  in  mind  of  God.  Whereas,  true  religion 
never  finds  itself  out  of  the  infinite  sphere  of  the  Divinity; 
and  wherever  it  finds  beauty,  harmony,  goodness,  love,  in- 
genuity, wisdom,  holiness,  justice,  and  the  like,  it  is  ready 
to  say.  Here  and  there  is  God.  Wheresoever  any  such 
perfections  shine  out,  a  holy  mind  climbs  up  by  these  sun- 
beams, and  raises  itself  up  to  God. 

"And  seeing  God  hath  never  thrown  the  world  from 
Himself,  but  runs  through  all  created  essence,  containing 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  189 

the  archetypal  ideas  of  all  things  in  Himself,  and  from 
thence  deriving  and  imparting  several  prints  of  beauty  and 
excellency  all  the  world  over;  a  soul  that  is  truly  godlike, 
a  mind  that  is  enlightened  from  the  same  fountain,  and  hath 
its  inward  senses  affected  with  the  sweet  relishes  of  Divine 
goodness,  cannot  but  every  where  behold  itself  in  the 
midst  of  that  glorious  unbounded  Being,  who  is  indi visibly 
every  where.  A  good  man  finds  every  place  he  treads  upon 
holy  ground;  to  him  the  world  is  God's  temple;  he  is  ready 
to  say  with  Jacob,  'How  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none 
other  hut  the  house  of  God.'' 

"It  was  a  dangerous  and  unworthy  spirit  in  that  philos- 
ophy, which  first  separated  and  made  such  distances  be- 
tween metaphysical  truths  and  the  truths  of  nature ;  where- 
as, the  first  and  most  ancient  wisdom  amongst  the  heathens, 
was  indeed  a  philosophical  divinity  or  a  divine  philosophy, 
which  continued  for  divers  ages;  but  as  men  grew  worse, 
their  queasy  stomachs  began  to  loathe  it,  which  made  the 
truly  wise  Socrates  complain  of  the  sophisters  of  that  age, 
who  began  now  to  corrupt  and  debase  it;  whereas,  hereto- 
fore the  spirit  of  philosophy  was  more  generous  and  divine, 
and  did  more  purify  and  ennoble  the  souls  of  men,  com- 
mending intellectual  things  to  them,  and  taking  them  off 
from  settling  upon  sensible  and  material  things  here  below, 
and  still  exciting  them  to  endeavor  after  the  nearest  re- 
semblance of  God,  the  Supreme  Goodness  and  Loveliness, 
and  an  intimate  conjunction  with  Him,  which,  according 
to  the  strain  of  that  philosophy,  was  the  true  happiness  of 
immortal  souls." 

Such  are  the  views  of  creation  which  were  once  taken 
by  a  good  man,  and  which  are  more  fully  and  clearly  un- 
folded by  Swedenborg;  but  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  in 
these  days,  are  apt  to  be  treated  with  unconcern  or  con- 
tempt, even  by  some  who  would  desire  to  be  thought  both 
learned  and  pious.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  excel- 
lent man,  like  others  before  him,  was  aware  of  the  exist- 
ence, and,  in  some  measure,  of  the  nature  of  the  true 
principles  of  analogy;  although,  like  others  of  the  same 
school,  he  saw  them  but  darkly.  It  was,  I  believe,  re- 
served for  Swedenborg  to  place  the  truth  of  these  principles 
in  a  clear  light,  and  to  establish  them  upon  a  solid  basis. 
I  will  therefore  briefly  advert  to  the  doctrine  of  Sweden- 
borg upon  this  subject;  although  I  fear  that,  in  so  doing,  I 
may  not  do  justice  to  his  views. 

An  examination  into  the  subject  will  convince  every  im- 


190  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

partial  mind,  that  there  are  {"ew  things  in  theology  upon 
which  more  confusion  of  idea  has  prevailed,  than  upon  the 
subject  of  analogy  and  metaphor;  one  being  constantly 
mistaken  for  the  other.  This  confusion  exists,  notwith- 
standing the  distinction  drawn  by  the  reflecting  few,  that 
metaphor  is  addressed  to  the  imagination,  and  analogy  to 
the  reason;  that  the  former  suggests  a  similitude  cogniza- 
ble by  the  senses,  the  latter  a  relation  apprehensible  only 
to  the  reason;  hence,  that  in  metaphor  there  is  an  imagined 
similitude;  in  analogy,  a  real  relation.  In  proportion  as 
the  mind  is  uneducated,  metaphor  will  naturally  be  chosen 
instead  of  analogy,  nay,  the  two  will  be  confounded;  and 
hence  well  meaning  persons,  unacquainted  with  science, 
and  of  uncultivated  reason,  in  consequence  of  having 
adopted  metaphorical  interpretations  of  Scripture,  and  mis- 
taken them  for  analogical,  have  been  a  principal  cause  in 
bringing  spiritual  interpretations  into  disrepute.  Such  in- 
terpretations, however,  are  not  spiritual;  they  are  merely 
sensual  and  imaginary.  The  true  spiritual  interpretation 
of  Scripture  is  founded  upon  analogy,  the  relations  of 
which  are  real;  whereas,  those  of  metaphor  are  often  only 
apparent,  artificial,  or  arbitrary.  This  is  one  reason  for 
which  spiritual  interpretations  have  frequently  been  sup- 
posed, even  by  the  learned,  who  have  not  always  remem- 
bered the  distinctions  between  analogy  and  metaphor,  to  be 
necessarily  vague,  uncertain,  and  fanciful. 

Now,  liowever  just  may  be  the  definition  of  analogy  to 
which  we  have  alluded,  it  is  a  definition  of  analogy  in  its 
secondary,  not  in  its  primary  sense.  Analogy  implies,  we 
admit,  in  either  sense,  a  real  relation;  but  in  its  primary 
sense,  a  relation  not  between  one  natural  thing  and  another 
natural  thing,  but  between  a  natural  thing  and  a  spiritual 
thing,  such  as  the  relation  of  the  spirit  to  the  body,  or  of 
the  spiritual  world  to  the  natural.  The  relation  of  analogy, 
therefore,  when  considered  in  its  strict  signification,  is  not 
the  relation  of  one  natural  effect  to  another,  of  one  natural 
cause  to  another,  and  so  forth;  but  the  relation  of  a  natural 
effect  to  its  spiritual  cause,  or  of  the  spiritual  cause  to  its 
natural  effect;  thus,  the  relation  of  a  prioj'  principle  to  a 
2yosterior,  of  a  higher  to  a  lower,  or  vice  versa.  The  order 
of  analogy  is  thus  the  order  presented  to  us  in  the  process- 
es of  creation,  generation,  or  production.  It  is  by  analogy, 
in  its  primary  sense,  that  we  interpret  the  Word  of  God, 
and  the  visible  creation  in  relation  to  that  Word;  and  by 
analogy,  in  its  secondary  sense,  that  we  interpret  the  phe- 
nomena of  visible  nature.     The  foundation  of  this  distinc- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  191 

tion  rests  upon  the  principle,  that  the  natural  world,  with 
all  its  secondary  causes,  is  but  a  world  of  effects,  the  spirit- 
ual world  alone  being  the  world  of  causes;  hence  the  anal- 
ogy of  the  natural  world  to  the  spiritual  is  that  of  effect  to 
cause;  whereas,  all  analogies  between  one  natural  thing 
and  another  are  analogies  between  one  natural  effect  and 
another;  hence  analogy  in  its  secondary,  not  in  its  primary 
sense.  If,  in  natural  things,  the  principles  of  analogy  are 
the  foundation  of  science,  so  are  they,  in  regard  to  spirit- 
ual things,  or,  in  their  higher  sense,  the  foundation  of  all 
real  theological  knowledge.  If,  in  the  former  case,  they 
are  certain  and  immutable,  much  more  so  are  they  in  the 
latter;  for  the  certainty  of  the  former  is  derived  from  the 
certainty  of  the  latter;  hence  nothing  is  so  certain  and  im- 
mutable as  interpretations  of  the  Word  of  God  founded 
upon  this  principle.  To  attempt  to  shake  them,  is  to  attempt 
to  shake  the  fabric  and  constitution  of  the  universe. 

How  is  it,  then,  that  analogy  in  its  primary  sense  has 
been  almost  so  universally  known  .^  The  answer  is  obvious. 
Where  analogies  exist  in  the  natural  world,  the  relations 
are  cognizable  by  the  natural  reason,  and  our  senses  sel- 
dom fail  to  communicate  to  the  mind  some  external  idea  of 
the  objects;  but  where  analogies  are  to  be  traced  between 
natural  and  spiritual  things,  merely  natural  reason,  however 
assisted  by  the  senses,  can  apprehend  only  one  side  of  the 
analogy;  for  a  spiritual  mind  only  can  apprehend  spiritual 
things.  In  that  mind  only  can  they  be  realized,  and,  until 
they  are  realized,  neither  can  the  object  be  known,  nor 
its  relations  traced;  for  how  can  the  relation  between 
two  things  be  traced,  of  the  nature,  or  even  existence, 
of  one  of  which  we  know  nothing?  Even  in  natural  things, 
the  attempt  to  trace  it  would  be  almost  impossible;  al- 
though in  cases  in  which  we  are  ignorant  of  one  of  the 
objects,  we  may  sometimes  form  a  distant  and  dark 
idea  of  it,  by  means  of  certain  other  assignable  rela- 
tions; but  in  spiritual  matters,  unless  a  man  be  truly 
spiritual,  his  mind  is  either  a  perfect  blank,  or  a  living  per- 
version and  contradiction  of  the  principles  which  the  exist- 
ence of  analogy  implies.  Why,  therefore,  should  we  won- 
der at  the  ridicule  cast  upon  Swedenborg's  analogical  in- 
terpretations of  Scripture,  or  their  alleged  incomprehensi- 
bility? The  wonder  would  be,  if,  constituted  as  the  mind 
is,  the  fact  were  otherwise;  for  the  natural  mind,  as  such, 
cannot  be  analogical  to  itself:  there  cannot  be  an  analogy 
between  one  thing.  Hence,  if  a  person's  mind  be  merely 
natural,  however  learned  it  maybe,  it  is  but  one  object,  or 


192  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

but  one  side  of  the  analogy,  that  is  presented;  and  if  it  be 
in  evil,  it  involves  a  negation  and  contradiction  ofthe  other 
side;  for  the  spiritual  mind  he  does  not  possess;  conse- 
quently, he  has  only  one  thing  between  which  to  trace  an 
analogy,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  sense  in  which  we  have  defin- 
ed it,  he  is  not  aware  of  any  analogy  at  all;  indeed,  there 
is  no  analogy,  but  rather  a  contradiction  of  it,  between  the 
spiritual  mind  and  the  unregenerate  natural  mind;  conse- 
quently, such  a  person  will,  nay,  must,  deny  its  existence; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  will  admit  ofthe  existence  of 
analogy  in  its  secondary  sense,  because  here  the  natural 
mind  is  in  its  element,  being  employed  only  in  tracing  the 
relations  between  natural  things;  hence,  in  this  case,  if  a 
man  be  intellectually  disposed,  he  will  pursue  analogies  in 
their  secondary  sense,  or,  if  he  be  more  the  creature  ofthe 
Senses,  he  will  betake  himself  to  mere  metaphor. 

Analogy,  in  its  primary  sense,  as  existing  between  a  natu- 
ral and  a  spiritual  object,  'thus  between  a  spiritual  end  or 
cause  and  a  natural  effect,  extends  to  all  the  relations  be- 
tween them;  hence,  in  this  case,  we  are  not  at  liberty  to 
single  out  some  relations  between  the  objects  as  analogical, 
and  to  reject  others;  there  being  nothing  in  the  end  but 
what  is  in  some  relation  of  analogy  to  the  cause,  nor  in  the 
cause,  but  what  is  in  some  relation  of  analogy  to  the  effect. 
When,  therefore,  authors  affirm  that  we  must  not  pursue 
an  analogy  too  far,  they  are,  almost  invariably,  upon  the 
principles  we  are  now  explaining,  not  pursuing  any  anal- 
ogy at  all.  Indeed,  what  they  call  a  spiritual  idea,  is, 
generally,  not  a  spiritual  idea,  but  only  a  natural  idea  of  a 
spiritual  thing,  the  relations  between  which  are  not  those 
of  end,  cause  and  effect;  for  were  they  such,  the  two  could 
not  be  more  or  less  related  to  each  other;  for  the  end  can- 
not be  more  or  less  related  to  the  cause,  nor  the  cause  to 
the  effect,  since  the  relations  between  them  are  universal. 

In  illustration  of  these  principles  I  would  observe,  that 
"  By  the  Word  were  all  things  made,  and  without  Him  was 
not  any  thing  made  that  was  made."  Here  the  Great  First 
Cause  is  the  Word  or  the  Creator,  the  effect  being  the 
creature     or  creation;  hence  the  relation  of  creation*  to 

*  For  a  fuller  explanation  of  the  application  of  the  principle  of  analogy-  to 
the  interpretation  of*  the  Word  of  God,  the  reader  i?  referred  to  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg;  he  will  also  find  the  subject  largely  dwelt  upon  in  a  work  entitled 
the  "Plenary  Inspiration  ofthe  Scriptures,"  by  the  Rev.  S.  Noble.  I  men- 
tion this  more  particularly,  because  I  have  said  nothing  here  upon  the  subject 
of  representatives  and  significalives,  but  have  only  touched  veiy  briefly  on 
the  general  principles  of  analogy. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  193 

the  Word  is  a  relation  of  effect  to  cause,  of  a  natural  object 
to  its  spiritual  origin;  that  is  to  say,  it  is  the  relation  of  a 
primary  analogy.  Thus  all  creation,  so  far  as  it  is  in  divine 
order,  is  a  glass  or  mirror,  wherein  we  may  behold  the  cre- 
ating Word,  the  various  objects  which  compose  creation 
corresponding  with  the  various  truths  which  constitute  the 
Word;  so  that  between  every  object  of  creation,  and  every 
corresponding  spiritual  idea  or  truth,  there  is  a  relation  of 
end,  cause,  and  effect,  the  end  being  in  the  cause,  and  the 
cause  in  the  effect;  the  object  itself  thus  existing  by,  and 
from,  that  which  it  symbolizes. 

Thus  Swedenborg  observes,  (Arcana  Ccelestia,  2920,) 
"It  is  known,  or  may  be  known,  tbat  there  is  a  spiritual 
world,  and  that  there  is  a  natural  world.  The  spiritual 
world,  in  its  universal  sense,  is  the  world  where  spirits 
and  angels  dwell;  and  the  natural  world  is  that  where  men 
dwell.  In  a  particular  sense,  there  is  a  spiritual  world  and 
a  natural  world  appertaining  to  every  individual  man;  his 
internal  man  being  to  him  a  spiritual  world ;  but  his  exter- 
nal, being  to  him  a  natural  world.  The  things  which  flow 
in  out  of  the  spiritual  world  and  are  presented  in  the  natural, 
are,  in  general,  representations;  and,  so  far  as  tbey  agree 
together,  they  are  correspondences." — 2991.  "That  nat- 
ural things  represent  spiritual,  and  that  they  correspond  to- 
gether, may  also  be  known  from  this  consideration,  that 
what  is  natural  cannot  possibly  have  existence,  except  from 
a  cause  prior  to  itself  This  cause  is  of  spiritual  origin, 
and  there  is  nothing  natural  which  doth  not  thence  derive 
the  cause  of  its  existence.  Natural  forms  are  effects,  nor 
can  they  appear  as  causes,  still  less  as  causes  of  causes,  or 
principles;  but  they  receive  their  forms  according  to  their 
use,  in  the  place  where  they  are.  Still,  however,  the  forms 
of  effects  represent  the  things  appertaining  to  their  causes; 
yea,  these  latter  things  represent  those  which  appertain  to 
their  principles.  Thus  all  natural  things  represent  the 
things  appertaining  to  the  spiritual,  to  which  they  corres- 
pond; and  spiritual  things  also  represent  the  things  apper- 
taining to  the  celestial,  from  which  they  are  derived.  "--2993. 
"In  the  vegetable  kingdom,  there  is  not  the  smallest  thing 
existing  which  doth  not  represent  somewhat  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  correspond  thereto,  as  hath  been  frequently  given 
me  to  know  by  like  commerce  with  the  angels;  the  reason 
whereof  was  also  explained  to  me,  and  shown  to  be  this,  viz: 
that  the  causes  of  all  things  natural  are  grounded  in  things 
spiritual,  and  the  principles  of  those  causes,  in  things  celes- 
17 


194  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

tial;  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  that  all  things  which  are  in 
the  natural  world,  derive  their  cause  from  truth  which  is  spir- 
itual, and  their  principle  from  good  which  is  celestial;  and 
that  natural  things  proceed  thence  according  to  all  the  differ- 
ences of  truth  and  of  good,  which  are  in  the  Lord's  kingdom; 
consequently,  from  the  Lord  himself,  who  is  the  source  of 
all  good  and  truth.  These  things  must  needs  appear  strange 
to  many,  and  especially  to  those  who  cannot,  or  will  not, 
ascend  in  thought  beyond  nature;  and  who  do  not  know 
what  is  meant  by  what  is  spiritual,  and  therefore  do  not  ac- 
knowledge it." — 2994.  "Man,  also,  during  his  life  in  the 
body,  is  capable  of  feeling  and  perceiving  very  little  of  all 
this;  for  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  appertaining  to 
him,  fall  into  the  natural  things  which  are  in  his  external 
man,  and  there  he  loses  the  sensation  and  perception  of 
them.  The  representatives  and  correspondences  which  are 
in  his  external  man,  also,  are  such,  that  they  do  not  appear 
like  unto  the  things  in  the  internal  man  to  which  they  cor- 
respond, and  which  they  represent;  therefore  neither  can 
they  come  to  his  knowledge,  before  he  puts  off  those  exter- 
nal things.  Blessed,  at  that  time,  is  he  who  is  in  corres- 
pondence, that  is,  whose  external  man  corresponds  to  the 
internal." — 2998,  "Man  is  almost  in  total  ignorance  about 
correspondence;  neither  does  he  believe  that  he  has  any 
such  connection  with  the  spiritual  world;  when  yet  the  truth 
is,  that  all  his  connection  is  thence,  and  without  such  con- 
nection, neither  himself,  nor  any  part  of  him,  could  possi- 
bly subsist  a  moment;  for  thence  is  derived  all  his  subsist- 
ence, &.C." — 3000.  "Hence  it  is,  that  all  and  singular  the 
things  contained  in  the  universe,  represent  the  Lord's  king- 
dom; insomuch  that  the  universe  with  its  heavenly  constel- 
lations, with  its  atmospheres,  and  with  its  three  kingdoms, 
is  nothing  else  but  a  kind  of  theatre  representative  of  the 
Lord's  glory,  which  is  in  the  heavens.  In  the  animal  king- 
dom, not  only  man,  but  also  each  particular  animal,  even 
the  least  and  vilest,  are  thus  representative.  For  instance, 
in  the  case  of  worms,  which  creep  on  the  ground  and  feed 
on  the  leaves  of  plants;  these,  when  the  time  of  their  nup- 
tials approaches,  immediately  becomes  chrysallises,  and 
presently  are  furnished  with  wings,  and  thereby  are  elevat- 
ed from  the  ground  into  the  atmosphere;  which  is  their 
heaven,  where  they  enjoy  their  delights  and  their  freedom; 
sporting  one  with  another,  and  feeding  on  the  choicest  parts 
of  flowers;  laying  their  eggs,  and  thus  providing  for  pos- 
terity; and  on  this  occasion,  inconsequence  of  being  in  the 


THE    SPIRITUAL    VVORLIX-.  195 

state  of  their  heaven,  they  are  also  in  the  fulness  of  their 
beauty.  That  these  things  are  representative  of  the  Lord's 
kingdom,  may  be  obvious  to  every  one." 

Such  are  the  views  of  Swedenborg,  so  far  as  I  am  able 
to  exhibit  them,  with  regard  to  the  general  principles  of 
analogy,  or  correspondence. 

Since,  then,  the  relation  of  analogy  is  a  real  relation, 
and  is  that  principle  according  to  which  the  natural  object 
is  created  and  made  to  subsist,  it  follows,  that  a  complete 
knowledge  of  analogy  supposes  also  a  complete  knowledge 
of  the  principles  of  natural  things,  or  of  the  sciences  in 
general.  Hence,  also,  we  see  how  it  is,  that  man  cannot 
have  a  key  to  the  real  interpretation  of  the  Word  of  God, 
without  also  having  the  key  to  the  real  interpretation  of  the 
works  of  God;  and,  consequently,  that  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  principles  of  the  interpretation  of  Scripture,  was 
reserved  for  the  age  in  which  the  true  principles  should  be 
known  of  the  interpretation  of  nature. 

To  what  end,  then,  are  all  the  discoveries  which  are 
daily  made  in  the  different  sciences.^  To  this  end, — that 
the  natural  mind  of  man  may  be  supplied  with  genuine 
natural  truths,  by  means  of  which  it  may  be  rendered  capa- 
ble of  being  brought  into  correspondence  with  an  enlight- 
ened spiritual  mind.  The  mode  by  which  this  spiritual 
mind  is  formed,  and  the  natural  mind  brought  into  full  cor- 
respondence with  it,  is  no  other  than  the  mode  by  which 
man's  regeneration  is  effected,  and  by  which  he  is  rendered 
a  spiritual-natural  man, — a  work,  which,  as  we  have  before 
stated,  forms  the  leading  subject  of  the  revelations  of  Swe- 
denborg. For  when  the  natural  mind  is  void  and  empty, 
by  reason  of  ignorance,  it  has  no  ideas  in  which  spiritual 
truths  can  be  represented;  and  a  spiritual  truth  v/ithout  a 
natural  basis,  appears  to  the  mind  as  unreal,  consequently, 
as  a  mere — nothing;  besides  which,  the  natural  mind,  in 
its  unregenerated  state,  is  so  loaded  with  fallacies,  that 
there  can  be  no  correspondence  between  it  and  a  spiritual 
mind;  consequently,  there  can  be  no  influence  or  influx  of 
the  spiritual  mind  into  the  natural,  and  hence,  within  man, 
of  the  heavenly  world  into  the  earthly;  there  being  rather 
within  him  an  entire  negation  or  peiversion  of  all  spiritual 
things.  When,  however,  the  spiritual  mind  is  formed 
within,  and  the  natural  is  brought  into  correspondence  with 
it,  then  it  is  demonstrable,  both  from  the  Word  of  God  and 
from  the  principles  we  have  been  explaining,  that  there 
may  be  an  influx  from  the  spiritual  world  or  angelic  heaven 


196 


INTERCOURSE    WITH 


into  man's  natural  mind,  nay,  into  the  very  region  of  his 
perceptions;  that  nothing  but  a  special  act  of  Divine  Prov- 
idence can  withhold  it;  and  that,  in  this  case,  the  miracu- 
lous exercise  of  power  is  not  in  opening  the  spiritual 
world,  but  in  closing  it. 

Such,  my  Lord,  is  the  true  explanation  of  the  principle 
of  Swedenborg's  alleged  intercourse  with  the  spiritual 
world.  Being,  from  his  earliest  years,  of  an  humble  and 
pious  disposition;  a  spiritual  mind  having  been  formed 
within  him;  his  natural  mind,  which,  by  the  Divine  bles- 
sing, had  been  sufficiently  guided  into  the  true  principles 
of  science  and  philosophy,  was  capable  of  being  brought 
into  such  a  correspondence  with  the  laws  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  that  there  could  be  an  influx  from  the  latter  into 
the  former,*  and  hence,  an  intercourse  between  one  and 
the  other.  This  is  the  state  in  which,  as  Swedenborg 
shews,  man  was  created  to  live.  This  was  his  first  and 
natural  state;  his  present  darkness  being  his  last  and  un- 
natural state;  his  spirit  being  as  truly  designed  to  com- 
mune with  heaven  within,  as  his  body,  with  the  natural 
world  without.  Thus,  when  the  Word  of  God  has  filled 
the  internal  man  with  spiritual  truths,  when  the  natural 
mind  is  filled  with  natural  truths,  and  when,  by  the  process 
of  regeneration,  the  natural  is  brought  into  correspondence 
with  the  spiritual,  the  whole  man  becomes  regenerated,  the 
image  and  likeness  of  God,  a  heaven  in  its  least  form,  a 
temple  of  Divine  light  and  love;  and  he  is  a  living  fulfil- 
ment of  that  prophecy  of  old,  "Behold!  the  tabernacle  of 
God  is  with  men;  and  he  will  dwell  with  them;  and  they 
shall  be  his  people;  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them, 
and  be  their  God." 

I  am  quite  aware  that  these  views  may  be  misunder- 
stood: allow  me,  therefore,  to  enter  into  a  farther  explana- 
tion of  them. 

Revelation  from  the  spiritual  world  to  the  mind  of  man, 
may  be  of  two  kinds;  revelation  by  inward  perception,  and 
revelation  by  open  vision.  The  former  supplies  us  with 
an  internal  evidence;  the  latter,  with  an  external;  the 
former  cannot  interfere  with  the  exercise  of  man's  volun- 

*  I  am  here  speaking  of  that  intercourse  with  lieaven  wliich  is  the  result  of 
the  regenerate  life,  because  this  is  the  main  point  to  be  considered.  Sweden- 
borg's intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world,  which  probably  was,  in  some  re- 
spects, designed  to  be  peculiar  to  him,  it  is  not  necessary  more  particularly  to 
consider.  When  the  former  is  granted,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  with  regard 
to  the  latter. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD,  197 

tary  powers;   the  latter,   without  the  former,    may.       The 
former,  or  inward  perception,   so  far  from  interfering  with 
the  exercise  of  the  voluntary  powers,   implies  their  hio-hest 
exercise.      For  it  is  a  perception  of  good,    tiiat  it  is  good, 
and  of  truth,  that   it   is   truth;  and  this,  hy  reason  of  the 
contbrmity  of  the   nature  of  the    person,    to  the   good  and 
truth  which  are  presented  to  him.     If  such  an  one,  there- 
fore, has  open  vision,  it  is  rather  a  consequence  of  his  in- 
ward perceptions,  or  of  that  purity  of  heart  by  which  he  is 
enabled  to  see  God.      This  is  the  kind  of  revelation  which 
the  writings  of  Swedenborg  explain  as  the  highest.    Hence, 
my  Lord,  we  have  no  desire  to   be  dealersin  dreams  and 
visions,  in  the  way  in  which  it  is  sometimes  supposed.     We 
would  aim  rather  at  an    enlightened   conscience,    or  that 
singleness  of  eye  by  which   our  whole  body  is  filled  with 
light.     Swedenborg  has  shewn,  how  a  man  is  not  reformed 
by  external  visions,  and  may  be  no  better  for  seeing  them. 
For  though  he  may  see  them,  he  may  not  understand  tiiem, 
and  so  be  no  wiser  than  he  was  before.     Indeed,  the  mere 
seeing  of  external  visions,  where  the  person  is  possessed  of 
no  inward  perception,   no  more  supposes  him  to  be  wiser 
and  better  than  others,  than  does  any  other  extraordinary 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit.      Nay,  Sv/edenborg  assigns  the  best 
of  reasons  for  which,  constituted  as  the  mind  in  general  is, 
external  intercourse  with  the  other  world   might  be  highly 
pernicious.     For  the  spirits  which  attend  a  man,   he  says, 
are   such    as    are    in    agreement    with    his    affections    and 
thoughts;  hence,   did  he  openly  converse  with  them,  they 
would  only  confirm  him  in  his  existing   state  of  mind,  and 
add  their  testimony  to   the   truth  of  all  his   falses,    and  the 
good  of  all  his  evils;  enthusiasts  would   thus   be  confirmed 
in    their    enthusiasm,    and    fanatics,    in    their    fanaticism. 
Were  the  mind,  however,  purified  from  its  evils  and  falses, 
the   case   would   be   altogether  otherwise;    because,  then, 
being  in   association  with   holy  angels,    the    exercise  of  its 
voluntary  powers  would  not  be  interfered  with;  man  would 
learn  what  is  good   and  true  from  an  inward  perception  of 
its  nature;  in  which  case,   open  vision,  if  it  existed,  would 
not  be  the  cause,  but  the  consequence,  of  his  state  of  life; 
and  whatever  might  be  the  symbolical  scenes  then  present- 
ed to  him,  they  would  be  perfectly  intelligible,  from  an  in- 
ward principle  of  perception. 

Hence,    in    the    Arcana    Ccelestia,    5121,    Swedenborg 
observes,    <'In  regard  to  revelations  being  cither  from  per- 
ception, or  from   discourse  with  the  angels   through  whom 
17* 


198  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

the  Lord  speaks,  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  they  who  are  in 
good  and  thence  in  truth,  especially  they  who  are  in  the 
good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  have  revelation  from  perception; 
whereas,  they  who  are  not  in  good  and  thence  in  truth, 
may,  indeed,  have  revelations,  yet  not  from  perception, 
but  by  a  living  voice  heard  in  them;  thus  by  angels,  from 
the  Lord.  This  latter  revelation  is  external,  but  the 
former  internal.  The  angels,  especially  the  celestial,  have 
revelation  from  perception;  as  also  the  men  of  the  most 
ancient  church  had,  and  some  also  of  the  ancient  church, 
but  scarcely  any  one  at  this  day;  whereas,  very  many 
have  had  revelations  from  discourse  without  perception, 
even  who  have  not  been  principled  in  good;  in  like  man- 
ner, by  visions  or  by  dreams.  Such  were  most  of  the  rev- 
elations of  the  prophets  in  the  Jewish  church;  they  heard 
a  voice,  they  saw  a  vision,  and  they  dreamed  a  dream;  but, 
inasmuch  as  they  had  no  perception,  they  were  revelations 
merely  verbal  or  visual,  without  a  perception  of  what  they 
signified;  for  genuine  perception  exists  through  heaven 
from  the  Lord,  and  affects  the  intellectual  principle  spiritu- 
ally, and  leads  it  perceptibly  to  think  as  the  thing  really  is, 
with  an  internal  assent,  the  source  of  which  it  is  ignorant 
of.  The  intellectual  principle  supposes  that  this  internal 
assent  is  in  itself,  and  that  it  flows  from  the  connection  of 
things;  whereas,  it  is  a  dictate  through  heaven  from  the 
Lord,  flowing  into  the  interiors  of  the  thought,  concerning 
such  things  as  are  above  the  natural  and  sensual  principle, 
that  is,  concerning  such  things  as  are  of  the  spiritual 
world,  or  of  heaven.  From  these  considerations,  it  may  be 
manifest  what  is  meant  by  revelation  from  perception." 

In  accordance  with  this  view,  the  author  of  the  Select 
Discourses  observes,  (chap,  vii,  page  459,)  "There  is  an 
inward  sense  in  man's  soul,  which,  were  it  once  awakened 
and  excited  with  an  inward  taste  and  relish  of  the  Divinity, 
could  better  define  God  to  him,  than  all  the  world  else.  It 
is  the  sincere  Christian,  that  so  tastes  and  sees  how  good 
and  sweet  the  Lord  is,  as  none  else  does.  The  God  of 
hope  fills  him  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing;  so  that 
he  abounds  in  hope,  as  the  apostle  speaks.  He  quietly 
reposes  himself  in  God;  his  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the 
Lord;  he  is  more  for  a  solid  peace,  and  settled  calm  of 
spirit,  than  for  high  raptures  and  feelings  of  joy,  or  extra- 
ordinary manifestations  of  God  to  him;  he  does  not  pas- 
sionately desire,  nor  importunately  expect,  such  things;  he 
rather  looks  after  the   manifestations  of  the  goodness  and 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  199 

power  of  God  within  him,  in  subduing  all  in  his  soul  that 
is  unlike  and  contrary  to  God,  and  forming  him  into  his 
image  and  likeness." — "Should  a  man  hear  a  voice  from 
heaven,  or  see  a  vision  of  the  Almighty,  to  testify  unto  him 
the  love  of  God  towards  him;  yet,  methinks,  it  were  more 
desirable  to  find  a  revelation  of  all  from  within,  arising  up 
from  the  bottom  and  centre  of  a  man's  own  soul,  in  the 
real  and  internal  impressions  of  a  godlike  nature  upon  his 
own  spirit;  and  thus  to  find  the  foundation  and  beginning 
of  heaven  and  happiness  within  himself." 

Such,  then,  is  a  general  outline  of  Swedenborg's  views 
with  regard  to  Intercourse  with  the  Spiritual  World;  and 
I  think  it  may  fairly  be  said,  that  any  one  will  have  a  very 
great  difficulty  to  prove  them  to  be  fanatical  and  visionary, 
without  including  in  the  same  condemnation  the  views 
which  have  been  taken  by  some  of  the  most  learned,  pious, 
and  judicious  members  of  the  church;  nay,  without  involv- 
ing in  the  sentence,  the  very  principles  of  Christianity  itself. 

Before  dismissing  the  subject,  it  may  be  well  to  advert 
to  an  observation  made  by  Archdeacon  Paley;  and,  as  it  is 
one  which  is  not  unfrequently  advanced  by  others,  and 
cannot  be  better  expressed  than  in  the  author's  own  words, 
I  may  be  allowed,  perhaps,  to  quote  it  at  length.  "The 
human  understanding,"  says  he,  "  constituted  as  it  is, 
though  fitted  for  the  purposes  for  which  we  want  it,  that  is, 
though  capable  of  receiving  the  instruction  and  knowledge 
which  are  necessary  for  our  conduct  and  the  discharge  of 
our  duty,  has  a  native  original  incapacity  for  the  reception 
of  any  distinct  knowledge  of  our  future  condition.  The 
reason  is,  that  all  our  conceptions  and  ideas  are  drawn 
from  experience  (not  perhaps  all  immediately  from  experi- 
ence, but  experience  lies  at  the  bottom  of  them  all;)  and  no 
language,  no  information,  no  instruction,  can  do  more  for 
us,  than  teach  us  the  relation  of  the  ideas  which  we  have. 
Therefore,  so  far  as  we  can  judge,  no  Vv^ords  whatever  that 
could  have  been  used,  no  account  or  description  that  could 
have  been  written  down,  would  have  been  able  to  convey 
to  us  a  conception  of  our  future  state,  constituted  as  our 
understandings  now  are.  I  am  far  from  saying,  that  it  was 
not  in  the  power  of  God,  by  immediate  inspiration,  to  have 
struck  light  and  ideas  into  our  minds,  of  which  naturally 
we  have  no  conception.  /  am  far  from  saying,  that  he 
could  not,  by  an  act  of  his  power,  have  assumed  a  human  being, 
or  the  soul  of  a  human  being,  into  heaven;  and  have  shewn  to 
him,  or  it,  the  nature  and  the  glories  of  that  kingdom;  but  it  is 


200  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

evident  thai,  unltss  the  whole  order  of  our  present  world  he 
changed,  such  revelalions  as  these  must  be  rare;  must  be  lim- 
ited to  very  extraordinary  j)ersons,  and  very  extraordinary  oc- 
casions. And  even  then,  with  respect  to  others,  it  is  to  be 
observed,  that  the  ordinary  modes  of  communication  by 
speech  or  writing,  are  inadequate  to  the  transmitting  of 
any  knowledge  or  information  of  this  sort;  and  from  a  cause 
which  has  aheady  been  noticed,  namely,  that  language 
deals  only  with  the  ideas  we  have;  that  these  ideas  are  all 
founded  in  experience;  that  probably,  most  probably  indeed, 
the  things  of  tlie  next  world  are  very  remote  from  any  ex- 
perience which  we  have  in  this;  the  consequence  of  which 
is,  that  though  the  inspired  person  might  himself  possess  this 
supernatural  knov.ledge,  he  could  not  impart  it  to  any  per- 
son not  in  like  manner  inspired.  When,  therefore,  the  na- 
ture and  constitution  of  the  human  understanding  is  con- 
sidered, it  can  excite  no  surprise,  it  ought  to  excite  no 
complaint,  it  is  no  fair  objection  to  Christianity,  '  that  it 
doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be.'  I  do  not  say,  that 
the  imperfection  of  our  understanding  forbids  it  (for,  in 
strictness  of  speech,  that  is  not  imperfect  which  answers 
the  purpose  designed  by  it;)  but  the  present  constitution 
of  our  understanding  forjjids  it."* 

The  Learned  Author  may,  to  a  certain  extent,  be  right, 
in  affirming  that  the  present  constitution  of  our  understand- 
ing forbids  it;  for,  as  Sv.edenborg  has  shewn,  the  present 
age,  not  excepting  the  learned,  has  sunk  into  a  grave  of 
merely  natural  and  sensual  ideas, |  and  the  human  under- 

*  Sermons,  page  165,  State  after  Death. 

f  Indeed,  so  obstinate  lias  this  tendency  to  naturalism  become,  that  a  mod- 
ern author  has  been  notliing  lotli  to  make  the  following  statement.  "  It  was 
plainly  the  intention  of  nature,  that  our  thoughts  should  be  habituaUy  directed  to 
things  external ;  and,  accordingly,  the  bulk  of  mankind  are  not  only  indisposed  to 
study  the  intellectual  phenomena,  but  are  incapable  of  tliat  degree  of  reflection 
which  is  necessary  for  their  examination.  Hence  it  is  that,  wiien  we  begin  to 
analyze  our  own  internal  constitution,  we  find  the  facts  it  presents  to  us,  so 
verv  intimately  combined  in  our  conceptions  with  the  q>ialities  of  matter, 
that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  draw  distinctly  and  steadily  the  line  between  them  ; 
and  that  when  mind  and  matter  are  concerned  in  the  same  result,  the  former 
is  entirely  overlooked,  or  is  regarded  only  as  an  accessary  principle  dependant  for 
its  existence  on  the  latter.  To  the  same  cause  it  is  owing,  that  we  find  it  so 
difificuU,  if  it  be  at  all  practicable,  to  form  an  idea  of  any  of  our  intellectual 
operations, abstracted  from  the  images  suggested  by  their  metaphorical  names." 
(Dugald  Stewart,  First  Dissertation.)  This  tendency  to  naturalism,  and  the 
want  of  knowing  the  true  principles  of  analogy,  are,  as  we  have  pointed  out, 
among  the  cases  which  create  the  difiiculty  here  alluded  to;  a  difficulty  which 
cannot  be  removed  from  among  tlie  learned,  until  its  causes  be  removed.  I  will 
only  add  that,  if  the  difficulty  has  become  so  great  in  regard  to  the  natural  mind. 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  201 

standing  has  only  followed  the  fallacies  which  these  ideas 
present;  while,  in  the  few  instances  in  which  those  falla- 
cies are  renounced,  the  mind  is  left  in  confessed  darkness 
upon  the  most  important  theological  subjects.  It  is  ac- 
knowledged, that  man  is  born  in  evil,  that  he  grows  up  a 
mere  creature  of  the  senses;  but,  surely  may  we  not  see  in 
this  very  fact,  the  cause  of  the  native  incapacity  of  which 
Paley  speaks?  May  we  not,  in  this,  see  the  reason  for 
which  it  is  perfectly  true,  that  the  mind  must  be  reconstituted 
before  man  can  arrive,  from  experience,  at  any  just  idea  of 
spiritual  things?  For,  as  long  as  he  continues  the  merely 
natural  man,  must  not  all  his  philosophy  consist  in  forming 
merely  natural  ideas  and  tracing  their  relations?  Of  the  rela- 
tion of  natural  ideas  to  spiritual,  indeed,  he  can  know  noth- 
ing, since  it  is  perfectly  true,  that  of  spiritual  things  he  can 
form  no  conception,  because  he  has  no  experience;  and  no 
language,  no  information, no  instruction,  can  do  more  for  him 
than  teach  him  the  relation  of  the  ideas  which  he  has.  Hence, 
as  the  learned  author  observes,  there  is  an  absolute  neces- 
sity for  the  reconstitution  of  his  mind,  before  it  can  form  a 
just,  or  even  any,  conception  of  spiritual  things;  for,  until 
then,  all  that  is  written  upon  the  subject  will  appear  to  him 
to  have  little  or  no  intelligible  reference  to  his  practice,  and 
to  furnish  only  abundant  matter  of  faith  and  food  for  curios- 
ity. Now  this  reconstitution  of  the  mind  is  no  other  than 
its  regeneration — the  regeneration  of  its  will,  and  the  re- 
generation of  its  understanding;  and,  had  any  pretended 
prophet  revealed  to  us  the  mysteries  of  heaven,  without 
having,  at  the  same  time,  communicated  a  method  for  this 
reconstitution  of  the  mind,  however  true  might  be  the 
knowledge  communicated,  it  would  be  useless,  and  incom- 
prehensible. Yet,  some  how  or  other,  when  the  real 
merits  of  Swedenborg's  writings  are  discussed,  his  visions 
are  sure  to  be  singled  out,  and  the  very  thing,  nay,  the  only 
thing,  which  could  enable  us  to  comprehend  them,  is  almost 
as  sure  to  be  omitted.  It  is  the  non-attendance  to  this  sub- 
ject, that  makes  the  revelations  of  Swedenborg  appear  to  be 
non-practical;  that  totally  deprives  them  of  all  that  internal 
evidence  which  they  would  otherwise  have;  and,  in  default 
of  which,  the  reader  considers  himself  as  called   upon  to 

what  must  it  be  in  regard  to  the  spiritual  mindl  What  must  become  of  theolo- 
gy, when  studied  by  minds  of  such  a  castel  Is  it  not  sufficient  to  justify  all  that 
Swedenborg  has  declared  with  regard  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  that 
*'^arkness  has  covered  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people^'  ? 


202  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

believe  in  the  author,   solely  upon  the  author's  own  tes- 
timony. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  nature  of  Swedenborg's 
distempered  fancy,  certain  it  is,  that  we  are  not  to  look  for 
this  distemper  primarily  in  his  visions,  but  in  the  philosophy 
which  led  to  them.  Here  is  the  origin  of  the  evil,  if  it  be 
one.  The  fanaticism,  if  it  be  such,  is  not  primarily  in 
the  visions,  but  in  the  philosophy;  and  our  opponents 
must  take  up  the  question  on  this  ground,  if  they  will  take 
it  up  on  the  only  ground  upon  which  it  can  be  decided. 
Thousands  who  have  been  misled  by  the  popular  views  of 
Swedenborg's  pretensions,  have  been  obliged  to  confess 
their  error,  when  they  have  come  seriously  to  consider  and 
understand  his  principles.  To  compare  his  revelations 
with  those  of  Mahomed,  or  with  all  the  idle  stories  we  read 
of  in  the  Roman  church,  is  but  trifling  with  the  subject; 
and  can  have  no  sort  of  influence,  except  upon  those  who 
live,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  in  the  innocence  of  their  own 
ignorance;  while  it  can  occasion  only  surprise  and  regret 
in  the  more  sober-minded  and  reflecting.  Now  we  have 
already  seen  how  it  is,  that  the  Divine  Being  has  been 
thought  to  be  necessarily  so  very  different  from  any  con- 
ceptions we  can  form  of  Him,  that,  know  what  we  may  of 
Him,  we,  after  all,  know  nothing.  It  is  from  the  operation 
of  the  same  cause,  that  persons  think  it  impossible  to  arrive 
at  any  just  ideas  of  the  spiritual  world.  They  imagine  it 
to  be  so  far  removed  from  any  experience  we  possess  in  the 
present  life,  that  it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  arrive  at  any 
true  conceptions  with  regard  to  it.  To  a  certain  extent 
they  are  right;  the  same  difliculties  which  lie  in  the  way 
of  a  right  knowledge  of  God,  lie  in  the  way  of  a  right 
knowledge  of  the  spiritual  world,  more  particularly  of 
heaven.  Man,  having  become  merely  natural,  can,  in  this 
merely  natural  state,  form  no  just  idea  of  those  principles 
of  analogy  to  which  we  have  adverted.  By  the  reconstitu- 
tion  of  the  mind,  however,  as  explained  by  Swedenboro*,  he 
is  enabled  to  originate  thoughts  in  accordance  with  these 
principles.  This  reconstitution  is  an  immense  change,  and 
indeed  one  that  is  endless.  The  possibility  of  the  com- 
mencement of  such  a  change,  at  some  period  or  other  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  it  does  not  appear  that  Paley  denied, 
nay,  rather,  it  seems  he  was  inclined  to  believe;  for,  as  he 
observes  in  another  place,  "This  doctrine  of  the  progres- 
sive increase  and  final  completeness  of  our  Lord's  king- 
dom, is  also  virtually  laid   down  in  this  passage  from  the 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  20S 

Corinthians,  'He  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies 
under  his  feet.'  For  that  this  subjection  of  His  several 
enemies  will  be  successive,  one  after  another,  is  strongly 
intimated  by  the  expression,  'the  last  enemy  that  shall  be 
destroyed  is  death.'  Now,  to  apprehend  the  probability  of 
these  things  coming  to  pass,  or,  rather,  to  remove  any  opin- 
ion of  their  improbability,  we  ought  constantly  to  bear  in 
our  mind  this  momentous  truth,  that,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Deity,  time  is  nothing;  that  he  has  eternity  to  act  in. 
The  Christian  dispensalion,  nay,  the  world  itself,  may  be  in 
its  infancy.  A  more  perfect  display  of  the  power  of  Christ 
and  of  his  religion  may  be  in  reserve;  and  the  ages  which  it 
may  endure,  after  the  obstacles  and  impediments  to  its  re- 
ception are  removed,  may  be,  beyond  comparison,  longer 
than  those  which  we  have  seen;  in  which  it  has  been  strug- 
gling with  great  difficulties,  most  especially  with  ignorance 
and  prejudice."     Sermons,  Agency  of  Christ,  p.  332. 

My  Lord,  it  is  to  this  new  order  of  things,  that  we  be- 
lieve the  writings  of  Swedenborg  are  calculated  to  conduce; 
and,  to  this  purpose,  that  he  has  achieved  what  no  other 
person  has,  the  Christianization  of  science.  Revealed  relig- 
ion and  science  may  be  separated  in  the  human  mind,  but 
they  are  not  separated  in  the  mind  of  God.  Nature  and 
the  Bible,  when  rightly  interpreted,  will  be  found  to  be  one. 
The  work  of  God  will  be  found  to  be  the  language  of  the 
Word  of  God;  natural  theology  to  be  the  same  as  revealed, 
when  natural  theology  shall  itself  have  been  revealed.  On 
the  same  Creator,  Nature  and  the  Bible  discourse  with  each 
other, — on  the  glories  of  the  same  Jehovah,  deep  calleth 
unto  deep. 

Allow  me,  then,  to  ask,  Is  all  expectation  of  the  moral 
renovation  of  the  world  vain  and  visionary?*  Is  that 
knowledge  of  the  Divine  operations,  by  which  we  are  ena- 
bled to  avail  ourselves  of  divine  power  in  the  regeneration 
of  the  soul,  a  knowledge  which  ministers  only  to  specula- 
tive curiosity.^  If  reason  and  experience  shew  that  it  is  not; 
if,  at  the  same  time,  it  be  "the  obvious  policy  of  an  impos- 
tor, and  the  most  natural  delusion  of  a  visionary,  to  treat 
much  of  curious  and  hidden  matters,  bejond  what  is  con- 
ducive to  practical  instruction;"  do  not  such  objections  de- 
monstrate, upon  their  own  principles,  that  Swedenborg  is 
neither  an  impostor  nor  a  visionary?  that  his  principles 
bear  all  the  marks  of  a  true  revelation?  that,  so  far  as  the 

♦The  reader  is  again  referred  to  the  Lectures  by  a  Country  Pastor,  in  which 
the  probability  of  some  moral  renovation  seems  to  be  admitted. 


204  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

arguments  in  the  Essays  are  concerned,  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg  may  be  true;  that  the  kingdom  of  God  may 
have  come  upon  us,  nay,  probably,  has  come  upon  us?  It 
is  of  no  use  merely  to  assert,  that  Swedenborg's  writings 
are  only  the  day-dreams  of  a  distempered  fancy.  They 
must  be  proved  to  be  such,  by  far  better  arguments  than 
any  which  have  been  yet  adduced.  Until  this  be  d6ne,  may 
we  not  call  upon  the  wise  virgins  to  give  proof  that  they 
have  not  slept.'*  or,  that  slumbering,  they  have  not  been  the 
dreamers?  that  what  is  real,  has  not  been  to  them  as  what 
is  unreal?  that  they  have  not  mistaken  their  day-dreams 
for  realities?  Most  certainly,  as  far  as  any  of  the  argu- 
ments against  Swedenborg  are  concerned,  it  may  be,  that 
not  he,  but  the  church,  has  been  the  dreamer;  that  it  has 
not  known  the  time  of  its  visitation.  If  this  be  the  case,  it 
is  no  more  than  what  many  rational  and  sober-minded  per- 
sons have  themselves  been  inclined  to  presume;  and  who 
have  never  been  considered,  on  that  account,  to  have  neces- 
sarily had  a  tendency  to  enthusiasm. 

When  we  reflect,  how  even  eminent  authors,  in  their 
zeal  to  defend  the  authority  of  Scripture,  have  explained 
away  its  principles  of  inspirrition;  and  accounted,  as  far 
as  possible,  upon  natural  principles,  for  the  supernatural  in- 
tercourse of  the  prophets  with  the  spiritual  world,  we  can- 
not be  surprised  at  the  opinions  which  have  been  passed 
upon  the  alleged  visions  of  Swedenborg.  It  is  unfortunate, 
however,  that  authors  in  general  seem  to  possess  no  test  of 
what  is,  or  what  is  not,  a  true  vision;  that,  so  far  as  inter- 
nal evidence  is  concerned,  they  are  wholly  at  a  loss  to  de- 
termine whether  even  the  visions  recorded  in  Scripture  are 
true.  As  tradition  is  the  principle  upon  which  the  Canon 
of  Scripture  is  received,  so  tradition  seems  to  be  the  only 
principle  upon  which  the  Divine  origin  of  the  scriptural 
visions  is  recognized,  The  plain  and  most  straight-forvvard 
mode,  however,  of  deciding  the  question,  is,  to  point  out 
the  test  of  a  true  vision;  and,  by  its  application,  to  demon- 
strate that  the  visions  of  Scripture  are  genuine,  and  those  of 
Swedenborg  spurious,  and,  consequently,  of  the  same  class 
with  the  pretended  visions  of  Mahomed,  and  of  the  various 
enthusiasts  in  the  Roman  Church.  Why  do  not  our  wor- 
thy opponents  attempt  this?  If  they  have  no  test  of  a  true 
vision,  why  do  they  not  acknowledge  it?  As  far  as  the  prin- 
ciples of  analogy  can  be  applied  to  the  explanation  of  the 
visions  of  Scripture,  they  are  equally  applicable  to  the  cor- 
responding visions  of  Swedenborg.     Indeed,  it  is  obvious  to 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  205 

any  person  who  attentively  examines  the  subject,  that  the 
visions  of  Scripture,  concerning  the  objects  in  heaven,  are 
written  precisely  upon  the  same  principles  upon  which  the 
corresponding  visions  of  Swedenborg  are  written;  and  that 
we  cannot  destroy  the  credit  of  one,  without  equally  de- 
stroying the  credit  of  the  other.  To  assert  that  Mahomed's 
visions  are  written  upon  this  principle,  is  to  assert  what  the 
best  authors  who  have  written  upon  this  subject  have  denied; 
and  to  plead  in  their  behalf  such  a  scriptural  character  as 
I  cannot  think  the  distinguished  author  of  the  Essays  in- 
tended. They  are  generally  admitted  to  be  addressed  only 
to  the  natural  senses,  and  are  quite  incapable  of  any  explan- 
ation upon  the  principles  of  correspondence  explained  by 
Swedenborg.* 

Besides,  when  I  reflect  on  the  profound  truths  of  religion 
and  philosophy,  which  are  intermixed  with  Swedenborg's 
visions,  I  cannot  but  call  to  mind  the  following  passage  in 
a  work  previously  quoted,  I  mean  the  Select  Discourses,  by 
Mr.  Smith.  The  author,  speaking  of  enthusiastic  impos- 
tors who  pretended  to  revelation,  observes,  Chap.  4,  "This 
delusion  ariseth  from  hence,  that  all  this  foreign  force  that 
is  upon  them,  serves  only  to  invigorate  and  impregnate 
their  fancies  and  imaginations,  but  does  not  inform  their 
reasons,  nor  elevate  them  to  a  true  understanding  of  things 
in  their  coherence  and  contexture,  and  therefore  they  can 
so  easily  embrace  things  absurd  to  all  true  and  sober  reason; 
whereas,  the  prophetical  spirit,  acting  principally  upon  the 
reason  and  understanding  of  the  prophets,  guided  them  con- 
sistently and  intelligibly  into  the  understanding  of  things." 
Now,  although  I  do  not  believe  that  this  principle  is  applica- 
ble to  the  prophets  in  Scripture,  because  it  does  not  appear 
that  their  understanding  was  always  opened  when  their  spir- 
itual vision  was  opened,  still,  if  the  principle  be  acknowledg- 
ed as  the  test  of  the  highest  prophetic  spirit,  we  are  willing 
to  submit  the  revelations  of  Swedenborg  to  this  proof.  That 

*  With  regard  to  the  visions  of  paradise  d^cribed  by  Mahomed,  Mr.  Sale 
observes,  in  his  Preliminary  Discourse,  affixed  to  the  Koran,  Sect.  4,  "Had 
Mahomed,  after  all,  iiitiaiated  to  his  followers  that  what  he  had  told  them  of 
paradise  was  to  be  taken,  not  liteially,  but  in  a  metaphorical  sense  (as  it  is  said 
the  Magians  do  the  description  of  Zoroaster,)  this  might  perha[)s  make  some 
atonement;  hut  the.  contrary  is  so  evident  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Koran  f\\\7it 
although  some  ftlahomedans,  whose  understandings  are  too  refined  to  admit  such 
gross  conceptions,  look  on  their  prophet's  description  as  paraliolical,  and  are 
willing  to  receive  them  in  an  allegorical  or  spiritual  acceptation,  yet  the  general 
and  orthodox  doctrine  is,  that  the  whole  is  to  be  strictly  believed  in  the  obvious  and 
literal  acceptation,"  fyc. 

18 


206  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

some  of  his  visions  may,  to  the  reason  of  some  persons, 
appear  absurd,  we  do  not  deny;  all  that  we  ask  is,  if  they 
are  to  be  rejected  upon  this  principle,  why  are  those  in 
Scripture  to  be  retained?  We  commonly  call  a  thing  ridic- 
ulous or  absurd,  if  it  creates  in  us  feelings  of  the  absurd  or 
ridiculous;  but  what  can  more  completely  demonstrate  the 
absurdity  of  our  own  principles,  than  to  judge  of  the  truth 
of  a  narrative  upon  this  ground  ?  It  is  making  our  feelings 
the  test  of  truth.  The  essential  character  and  the  succes- 
sion of  spiritual  ideas  are  not  the  same  wuth  those  which 
are  merely  natural;  consequently,  if,  to  the  words  which 
express  them,  we  attach  the  ideas  of  the  merely  natural 
man,  the  less  understood  the  narrative  is,  the  more  absurd 
will  it  appear.  Sober  reason  may  convince  us  of  the  fact. 
But  if  men  will  abandon  their  reason,  and  give  way  to  their 
feelings;  if,  in  this  state,  they  undertake  to  judge  of  what 
Ihey  neither  know,  nor  can  know  any  thing  about,  the  con- 
clusion to  which  they  come  is  but  the  answer  they  receive 
according  to  their  folly.  Suppose  a  person  should  ridicule 
the  narrative  of  St.  John,  with  regard  to  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, because  he  made  the  city  as  high  as  it  was  long,  who 
does  not  see  that  the  merely  natural  man  may  be  ridiculing 
his  own  ideas,  but  not  those  of  Scripture?  For  the  words 
of  Scripture  were  never  meant  to  convey  the  views  which 
he  ridicules.  Smile  as  he  may,  therefore,  he  is  only  smiling 
at  himself;  being  a  standing  witness  of  his  ov/n  folly,  in 
supposing  that  he  could  have  any  knowledge  of  spiritu- 
al things,  in  his  own  natural  state. 

That  there  have  been  numbers  of  vain,  delusive  fancies 
afloat  in  the  world;  that  warm,  enthusiastic  imaginations 
have  been  forMard  to  mistake  the  strong  impressions  pro- 
duced upon  them  for  real  existences,  who  can  doubt?  But, 
as  one  extreme  is  apt  to  give  rise  to  another,  may  we  not 
presume  that  one  principal  cause  of  these  delusions  has 
l3een  the  apathy,  unconcern,  nay,  practical  unbelief,  in  re- 
gard to  the  awful  verities  of  another  world,  which  we  find 
prevailing  in  the  Christian  community?  What  if  there 
have  been  enthusiasts,  fanatics,  and  impostors?  W^hat  if 
they  have  gone  about  with  "Thus  saith  the  Lord"  in  their 
mouths,  when  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken?  If  all  warnings 
are  to  be  rejected  simply  because  some  are  untrue,  why 
should  we  listen  to  established  pastors  and  teachers;  since 
some  among  them  have  been  ignorant,  some  unsound  in 
doctrine,  and  some  have  handled  the  word  of  God   deceit- 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  207 

fully?*     Far  be  it  from  us  to  ask  persons  to  receive  the 
writings  of  Swedenborg,  merely  to  make  large  demands 
upon  their  f\iith  or  credulity.    We  appeal  to  an  enlightened 
reason;  we  appeal  to  the  principles  of  that    internal  evi- 
dence, which  our  opponents  have  never  yet  been  able  to 
gainsay;  we  invite  them  to  bring  all  their  faculties  to  bear 
upon  the  subject,  all  their  learning,  all  their  sagacity,   all 
their  judgment;    and  when   they  have   done  this,   let  them 
not  be  disappointed,  if  all  these  should  be  found  of  no  avail 
without  an  humble  and  a  contrite  heart.     In  vain  is  it  said, 
that  the  subjects  are  such,  that  any  inquiry  into  them  pre- 
supposes  a  spirit  of  presumption,    and  that  men  must  be 
content  to  live  in  their   present   ignorance   and   darkness. 
We  have  reason  to  be  thankful,   that  many  are  not  so  un- 
concerned about  their  state  hereafter.     We    live  in  days 
in  which  many,  if  they  cannot  form  right  conceptions^  of 
heaven   and    hell,   will  form    to    themselves    wrong   ones, 
rather  than  form  none  at  ail;  and  if  they  form  v/rong  ideas, 
is  it  of  no  practical  utility  to  point  them  out.'*     If  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  to  be  established  within  us;   if  man  him- 
self is  designed  to  be  a  heaven,  is   it   ministering  to  mere 
curiosity,  is  it  indulging  a  blind  credulity,  is  it  conveying  a 
useless  non-practical  instruction,  to  inculcate  right  ideas  of 
its  nature?     Surely  to  affirm  as  much,  would  be  to  affirm, 
that  to  instruct  a  man  in  that  v/hich  he  ought  to  be,  which 
he  was  intended  to  be,  and  for  which  alone  he  was  brought 
into  the   world,   is  but  wasting  the  time  of  the  teacher  and 
the  taught   in    unprofitable    questions.     When  men    have 
fallen  into  delusions  with  regard  to  heaven  and  hell,  when 
those    delusions  pass   for  genuine  truth,  is  it  unworthy  of 
the  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  discover  these  errors  by  a  revela- 
tion of  the  nature  of  the  two  worlds?     For  heaven  is  good 
and  truth,   and  hell  is  evil  and  the  false;   and  to  reveal  the 
nature  of  heaven  and  hell,  is  but  to  reveal  the   nature   of 
good  and  truth,  evil  and  error.     The  evidence,  therefore, 
on  v/hich  we  are  invited  to  receive  the  revelations  of  Swe- 
denborg,  vvith  regard  to  heaven  and  hell,  is  an  interR?.l  evi- 
dence;  it  is  that  of  our  moral  sense  of  the  nature  of  good 
and  evil.     Now  is  not  this  the  highest  evidence  upon  which 
it  is  possible  for  us  to  receive  any  truth  whatever?     Mathe- 
matical  demonstrations    are  addressed  only    to   the   lower 
powers  of  reason,  but   this  addresses  itself  to    our  whole 

*  See  the  Preface  to  Swedenborg's  Treatise  on  Heaven  and  Hell,  bv    the 
ficv.  W.  Harilev. 


208  INTERCOURSE    WITH 

being;  nevertheless,  we  are  capable  of  attaining  to  this 
evidence,  only  in  the  degree  in  which  we  perceive  and 
love  that  which  is  good,  and  hate  that  which  is  evil. 

If  then,  as  Christians,  our  moral  sense  of  good  and  evil 
be  derived  only  from  the  Word  of  God;  if  we  so  interpret 
that  Word,  as  to  derive  from  it  entirely  new  principles  of 
life  and  conduct;  if  this  new  interpretation  form  the  prin- 
cipal revelation  of  Swedenborg;  and  if  all  his  narratives, 
with  regard  to  heaven  and  hell,  be  founded  on  the  princi- 
ples of  good  and  evil,  truth  and  error,  as  taught  in  the 
Word  of  God  thus  interpreted,  can  any  thing  be  plainer 
than  that,  so  tar  from  its  being  difficult  to  point  out 
in  what  respect  Swedenborg 's  pretended  revelations  re- 
quire any  alteration  in  our  conduct,  motives,  or  moral  sen- 
timents, the  difficulty  lies  entirely  the  other  way?  And  if 
so,  what  can  be  more  clear  than  that  the  whole  of  the  argu- 
ment in  the  Essays,  as  applied  to  the  writings  of  Sweden- 
borg, is  founded  upon  an  entire  misapprehension  of  the  na- 
ture of  his  principles? 

(Heaven  and  Hell — page  4.)  ^'The  man  of  the  church," 
says  Swedenborg,  "hath  scarcely  any  knowledge  respect- 
ing heaven  and  hell,  or  respecting  his  life  after  death,  al- 
though they  all  stand  plainly  described  in  the  Word;  yea, 
many  also  who  are  born  within  the  church,  deny  those 
things,  saying  in  their  hearts,  Who  hath  ever  come  thence 
to  give  us  information?  Lest,  therefore,  such  a  negative 
principle,  which  prevails  especially  amongst  those  who  have 
acquired  much  worldly  wisdom,  should  also  infect  and 
corrupt  the  simple  in  heart,  and  the  simple  in  faith,  it  hath 
been  given  me  to  have  consort  with  the  angels,  and 
to  discourse  with  them  as  a  man  with  a  man,  and  also  to 
see  the  things  v.hich  are  in  the  heavens,  likewise  those 
which  are  in  the  hells.... thus  now  to  describe  them  from 
what  hath  been  heard  and  seen,  in  the  hope  that,  by  these 
means,  ignorance  may  be  enlightened  and  incredulity  dis- 
sipated."— Can  we  then  suppose,  that  such  a  revelation,  if 
made,  would  be  in  accordance  with  our  imaginations? 
When  God  hath  told  us,  that  "it  hath  not  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  the  things  which  he  hath  laid 
up  for  them  that  love  him,"  shall  we  reject  a  revelation 
professedly  coming  from  Him,  because  it  does  not 
conform  to  our  previous  conceptions?  Shall  we  confess, 
that  we  are  in  utter  darkness  upon  the  subject;  and 
when  a  professed  revelation  comes,  at  once  reject  it, 
with  a    confidence  which  would  beseem  only  those,    who 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  209 

were  previously  well  informed  upon  the  matter?  Shall  we 
not  rather  presume  that,  if  such  a  revelation  were  made, 
the  probability  would  be,  that  it  would  contain  things  at 
first  incredible,  and  incomprehensible?  Look  even  to  the 
natural  world, — how  slow  of  heart  are  we  to  believe  all  that 
is  written  in  the  great  volume  of  Nature!  Born  as  we  are, 
with  inherent  evils,  prejudices,  and  passions;  brought  up 
within  a  narrow  and  confined  circle;  instructed  but  partial- 
ly in  the  ways  of  God,  how  many  are  there,  whose  minds 
can  see  nothing  beyond  the  limits  of  their  own  narrow 
sphere!  how  few  whose  souls  are  adequate  to  the  greatness 
and  grandeur  even  of  the  visible  creation!  However  far 
reason  may  travel,  she  is  lost  and  confounded  at  the  im- 
mensity which,  even  in  the  natural  world,  still  lies  before 
her.  "We  have  here  attained,"  says  a  modern  astrono- 
m  r,  (Discourse  on  Natural  Philosophy,  by  Sir  J,  Her- 
schell,  art.  312,)  "  a  point  in  science,  where  the  human  in- 
tellect is  compelled  to  acknowledge  its  weakness,  and  to  feel 
that  no  conception  the  wildest  imagination  can  form  will 
bear  the  least  comparison  with  the  intrinsic  greatness  of  the 
subject."  If  this  be  the  casein  natural  things,  how  much 
more  is  it  the  case  in  spiritual  things!  Oh!  foolish,  and 
slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  Creator  hath  written 
in  the  great  volume  of  nature;  Oh!  far  more  slow  of  heart, 
to  believe  all  that  He  hath  written  in  the  great  volume  of 
revelation  !  "  If  I  have  told  you  of  earthly  things,  and  ye 
believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe,  if  I  tcli  you  of  heavenly 
things?  " 

With  these  observations,  my  Lord,  permit  me  now  to 
bring  this  Letter  to  a  close;  and  to  assure  Your  Grace 
that,  in  many  respects,  it  has  been  a  very  unwelcome  un- 
dertaking; unwelcome,  because  the  author  feels  a  reluc- 
tance to  place  himself  in  opposition  to  one,  whose  works  have 
often  afforded  him  profit  and  delight;  and  whose  learning, 
attainments,  Christian  moderation,  and  enlightened  views  on 
many  subjects,  cannot  but  command  his  respect  and  admi- 
ration; unwelcome,  also,  because  the  author  is  deeply  sen- 
sible of  his  own  incompetency  to  do  justice  to  the  cause  he 
advocates;  and  feels  much  more  satisfied  in  correcting  his 
own  imperfections,  than  in  pointing  out  those  of  others. 
Whatever  may  be  the  errors  discoverable  in  this  Letter,  he 
sincerely  trusts  that  they  who  differ  from  him,  may  consid- 
er them  as  possibly  errors  in  the  author,  and  not  necessa- 
rily in  the  cause  he  advocates.  As  he  never  desires  to 
take  advantage  of  any  mere  inadvertencies  committed  by 
18* 


210  INTERCOURSE     WITH 

others,  so  he  trusts  he  may,  in  return,  receive  from  them 
the  same  favorable  consideration.  He  writes  not  for  mere 
critics;  but  for  those  whom  the  Spirit  of  trutli  may  enable 
to  view  the  subject  in  all  its  comprehensive  relations,  with- 
out confining  the  sphere  of  their  vision  to  whatever  little 
cavil  it  may  be  in  their  power  to  raise;  for  those,  in  fine,  who 
can  say,  with  Your  Grace,  "  I  have  learned  to  call  no  man 
master  upon  earth;  and  to  appeal  to  nothing  but  the  records 
of  inspiration,  and  the  force  of  just  reasoning." 

The  author  of  this  Letter  cannot  conclude,  without  so- 
liciting, also,  indulgence  from  the  receivers  of  Sweden- 
borg's  principles;  for  he  is  aware,  that  there  are  many  who 
are  more  conversant  with  the  writings  of  Svv  edenborg  than 
himself;  who  could  more  correctly  express  the  views  of 
that  author;  and  more  successfully  answer  objections 
against  them.  He  cannot,  however,  but  observe,  that, 
however  successful  in  controversy  the  principles  of  Swe- 
denborg  may  be,  this  is  not  the  real  sphere  of  their  utility. 
To  test  their  real  value,  their  power  must  be  tried  in  the 
regeneration  of  the  soul;  here,  it  is  that  their  truth  is  evi- 
denced; here,  that  they  manifest  themselves  in  all  the 
glory  of  their  divine  original;  here,  that  fact  speaks,  and 
not  argument,  as  it  is  written,  "  These  signs  shall  follow 
them  that  believe:  in  my  name  shall  they  cast  out  devils, 
they  shall  speak  v/ith  new  tongues,  they  shall  take  up  ser- 
pents, and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt 
them;  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  re- 
cover." Thus  has  the  receiver  of  these  principles  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit  within,  the  witness  of  his  own  heart,  of 
a  reformed,  regenerated  nature;  so  tbat,  whatever  may  be 
the  arguments  adduced  against  us, — "we  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren." 
This  love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbor,  is  that  by  which  we 
know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  assure  our  hearts  before 
Him. 

The  cause  here  advocated,  will  never  be  established  by 
the  noise  of  mere  controversy. — Its  progress  must  be  slow; 
as  slow  as  the  moral  regeneration  of  the  world.  We  seek 
not,  therefore,  to  swell  our  numbers  by  proselytes;  though 
we  consider  it  to  be  our  bounden  duty,  at  every  seasonable 
opportunity,  to  make  known  those  principles  we  so  highly 
esteem,  and  to  aflbrd  others  the  happiness  they  are  calcu- 
lated to  confer.  May  we  ever  hold  out  to  all  the  hand  of 
Christian  fellowship;  and  esteem  those,  who  are  not  out- 
wardly with  us,  but    who    have    been    inwardly  taught  of 


THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  211 

God,  as  more  truly  members  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  than 
such  as  are  receivers  of  its  doctrines,  and  are  elated,  instead 
of  humbled,  by  their  knowledge.  We  have  no  fear  of  the  final 
success  of  these  principles;  and,  whatever  be  our  portion, 
whether  of  evil  report  or  good  report,  we  desire  to  hold  on 
the  even  tenor  of  our  way ;  knowing  that  the  time  is  at  hand, 
when  the  Truth,  like  a  rock,  will  emerge  above  all  the  clouds 
of  darkness  and  prejudice  with  which  it  is  surrounded;  and 
mankind  will  behold  it  with  the  sunshine  of  eternal  glory 
settled  on  its  head.  With  these  convictions,  we  would  de- 
sire ever  to  remember  the  words  of  the  apostle,  (St.  James, 
chap.  V,  ver.  7,)  "Be  patient  therefore,  brethren,  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold  !  the  husbandman  waiteth  for 
the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for 
it,  until  he  receive  the  early  and  the  latter  rain.  Be  ye 
also  patient;  establish  your  hearts,  for  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  draweth  nigh." 

With  a  profound  veneration  of  the  high  and  holy  office 
to  which  Your  Grace  is  called,  and  with  an  earnest  prayer 
that  Your  Grace  may  long  be  preserved  to  adorn  the  doc- 
trine of  God  our  Savior, 

Believe  me. 

Most  respectfully. 

Your  Grace's  humble  Servant, 

AUGUSTUS  CLISSOLD. 


APPENDIX. 


TRINITY. 

It  has  been  usual  to  confine  the  subject  of  the  Trinity  principally 
to  the  learned.  In  the  present  Appendix  we  shall  view  it  princi- 
pally in  relation  to  the  unlearned.  The  learned  are  the  few;  the 
unlearned,  the  many.  The  scholar,  if  presumed  to  teach  Tritheis- 
tical  notions,  may  plead  the  difference  between  essence  and  modes 
of  subsistence.  The  illiterate  person  has  no  such  resort.  We  be- 
gin with  the  learned  ;  we  then  pass  to  the  unlearned.  The  jour- 
ney commences  with  the  Dawn,  continues  to  the  Dusk,  and  ends 
with  the  Midnight, 


"  The  ivatcliman  said,  The  morning  comethy  (Isa.  xxi,  12.) 

*  "  PERSON,  in  its  ordinary  use  at  present,  invariably  implies 
a  numerically  distinct  substance.  Each  man  is  one  Person,  and 
can  be  but  one.  It  has  also  a  peculiar  theological  sense,  in  which 
we  speak  of  the  '  three  Persons  of  the  blessed  Trinity.'  It  was 
probably  thus  employed  by  our  Divines  as  a  literal,  or  perhaps 
etymological,  rendering  of  the  Latin  word  'Persona.'  lam  in- 
clined to  think,  however,  from  the  language  of  Wallis  (the  mathe- 
matician and  logician)  in  the  following  extract,  as  well  as  from 
that  of  some  other  of  our  older  writers,  that  the  English  word 
Person  was  formerly  not  so  strictly  confined,  as  now,  to  the  sense 
it  bears  in  common  conversation  among  us. 

♦Extracted  from  the  Elements  of  Logic,  by  Archbishop  Whately.  Article  PER- 
SON. 


214 


TRINITY, 


"  'That  which  makes  these  expressions'  (viz.  respecting  the 
Trinity,)  '  seem  harsh  to  some  of  these  men,  is,  because  they  have 
used  themselves  to  fancy  that  notion  only  of  the  word  Person,  ac- 
cording to  which  three  men  are  accounted  to  be  three  persons,  and 
these  three  persons  to  be  three  men.  But  he  may  consider  that 
there  is  another  notion  of  the  word  Person,  and  in  common  use, 
too,  wherein  the  same  man  may  be  said  to  sustain  divers  persons, 
and  those  persons  to  be  the  same  man;  that  is,  the  same  man,  as 
sustaining  divers  capacities.  As  was  said  but  now  of  TuUy,  Tres 
Persotias  Unus  sustineo ;  nieam,  adversarii,judicis.  And  then  it 
will  seem  no  more  harsh  to  say.  The  three  persons.  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  are  One  God,  than  to  say,  God  the   Creator,  God 

the  Redeemer,  and  God  the  Sanctifier,  are  one  God it 

is  much  the  same  thing  whether  of  the  two  forms  we  use.' — Let- 
ters on  the  Trinity,  p.  63. 

"  *  The  word  Person  {persona)  is  originally  a  Latin  word,  and 
doth  not  properly  signify  a  Man  (so  that  another  person  musixiQediS 
imply  another  7nan;)  for  then  the  word  Homo  would  have  served, 
and  they  needed  not  have  taken  in  the  word  persona,  but  rather 
one  so  circumstantiated.  And  the  same  Man,  if  considered  in  other 
circumstances_  (considerably  different)  is  reputed  another  person. 
And  that  this  is  the  true  notion  of  the  word  Person,  appears  by 
those  noted  phrases,  personam  induere,  personam  deponere,  personam 
agere,  and  many  the  like,  in  approved  Latin  authors.  Thus  the 
same  man  may  at  once  sustain  the  person  of  7u/7  o- and  a  Father, 
if  he  be  invested  both  with  regal  and  paternal  authority.  Now, 
because  the  King  and  the  Father  are,  for  the  most  part,  not  only 
different  persons,  but  different  men  also  (and  the  like  in  other  cases,) 
hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  another  Person  is  sometimes  supposed 
to  imply  another  )nan  ;  but  not  always,  nor  is  that  the  proper  sense 
of  the  word.  It  is  Englished  in  our  dictionaries  by  the  state,  qual- 
ity, or  condition  ivhercby  one  ?nan  differs  fro7n  another;  and  so,  as 
the  condition  alters,  the  Person  alters,  though  the  man  be  the 
same. 

"  '  The  hinge  of  the  controversy  is,  that  notion  concerning  the 
three  somewhats,  which  the  Fathers  (who  first  used  it)  did  intend  to 
design  by  the  name  Person;  so  that  we  are  not  from  the  word 
Person  to  determine  what  was  that  Notion,  but  from  that  Notion 
which  they  would  express,  to  determine  in  what  sense  the  word 
Person  is  here  used,'  &c.  occ. — Letter  V,  in  answer  to  the  Arian's 
Vindication. 

"  What  was  precisely  the  notion  which  these  Latin  Fathers 
intended  to  convey,  and  how  far  it  approached  the  classical  signifi- 
cation of  the  word  '  Persona,'  it  may  not  be  easy  to  determine. 
But  we  must  presume  that  they  did  not  intend  to  employ  it  in 
what  is,  now,  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word  Person;  both  because 
'  Persona '  never,  I  believe,  bore  that  sense  in  pure  Latinity, 
and  also  because  it  is  evident  that,  in  that  sense,  '  three  divine 
Persons'  would  have  been  exactly  equivalent  to  'three  Gods;'  a 
meaning  which  the  orthodox  always  disavowed. 


TRINITY.  215 

"It  is  probable  that  they  had  nearly  the  same  view  with  which 
the  Greek  theologians  adopted  the  word  Hypostasis;  which  seems 
calculated  to  express  'that  which  stands  under  (?'.  e.  is  the  Subject 
of)  Attributes.'  They  meant,  it  may  be  presumed,  to  guard  against 
the  suspicion  of  teaching,  on  the  one  hand,  that  there  are  three 
Gods,  or  three  Parts  of  the  one  God ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  no  more  than  three  names,  all, 
of  the  same  signification  ;  and  they  employed,  accordingly,  a  term 
which  might  serve  to  denote,  that  (though  divine  Attributes 
belong  to  all  and  each  of  these,  yet)  there  are  attributes  of  each, 
respectively,  which  are  not  so  strictly  applicable  to  either  of  the 
others,  as  such  ;  as  when,  for  instance,  the  Son  is  called  especially 
the  '  Redeemer,'  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  '  Comforter  or  Paraclete,' 
&c.  The  notion  thus  conveyed  is  indeed  very  fainf,  and  imperfect; 
but  is  perha[)s,  for  that  very  reason,  (considering  whai  Man  is,  and 
what  God  is,)  the  less  likely  to  lead  to  error.  One  may  convey  to 
a  blind  man,  a  notion  of  seeing,  correct  as  far  as  it  goes,  and 
instructive  to  him,  though  very  imperfect :  if  he  form  a  more  full 
and  distinct  notion  of  it,  his  ideas  will  inevitably  be  incoi^rect. — 
See  Ess.iy  VH,  ^  5,  Second  Series. 

"  It  is  perhaps  to  be  regretted  that  our  Divines,  in  rendering  the 
Latin  'Persona,'  used  the  word  Person,  whose  ordinary  sense,  in 
the  present  day  at  least,  differs  in  a  most  important  point  frona 
the  theological  sense,  a,nd  yet  is  not  so  remote  from  it  as  to  pre- 
clude all  mistake  and  perplexity.  If  '  Hypostasis,'  or  any  other 
completely  foreign  term,  had  been  used  instead,  no  idea  at  all 
would  have  been  conveyed,  except  that  of  the  explanation  given; 
and  thus  the  danger  at  least  of  being  misled  by  a  word  would 
have  been  avoided. 

"  Our  Reformers  however  did  not  introduce  the  word  into  their 
Catechism,  though  it  has  been  (I  must  think  injudiciously)  em- 
ployed in  some  popular  expositions  of  the  Catechism,  without  any 
explan-ation,  or  c^ven  allusion,  to  its  being  used  in  a  peculiar  sense. 

"  As  it  is,  the  danger  of  being  not  merely  not  understood,  but 
misunderstood,  should  be  guarded  against  most  sedulously,  by  all 
who  wish  not  only  to  keep  clear  of  error,  but  to  inculcate  inipor- 
tant  truth ;  by  seldom  or  never  employing  this  ambiguous  word 
without  some  explanation  or  caution.  For  if  we  employ,  without 
any  such  care,  terms  which  we  must  be  sensible  are  likely  to  mis- 
lead, at  least  the  unlearned  and  the  unthinking,  we  cannot  stand 
acquitted  on  the  plea  of  not  having  directly  inculcated  Qxrox. 

"  I  am  persuaded  that  much  heresy,  and  some  infidelity,  may 
be  traced,  m  part,  to  the  neglect  of  this  caution.  It  is  not  wonder- 
ful that  some  should  be  led  to  renounce  a  doctrine  which,  through 
the  ambiguity  in  question,  may  be  represented  to  them  as  involv- 
ing a  self-contradiction,  or  as  leading  to  Tritheism  ;  that  others 
should  insensibly  slide  into  this  very  error ;  or  that  many  more 
(which  I  know  to  be  no  uncommon  case)  should,  for  fear  of  that 
error,  deliberately,  and  on  principle,  keep  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
out  of  their  thoughts,  as  a  point  of  speculative  belief  to  which  they 
have  assented  once  for  all,  but  which  they  find  it  dangerous  to 


216  '  TRINITY. 

dwell  on  ;  though  it  is,  in  fact,  the  very  Faith  into  which,  by  our 
Lord's  appointment,  we  are  baptized. 

"  Nor  should  those  who  do  understand,  or  at  least  have  6nce 
understood,  the  ambiguity  in  question,  rest  satisfied  that  they  are 
thenceforward  safe  from  all  danger  in  that  quarter.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  the  thoughts  are  habitually  influenced,  thnjugh 
the  force  of  association,  by  the  recurrence  of  the  ordinary  sense  of 
any  word  to  the  mind  of  those  who  are  not  especially  on  their 
guard  against  it.     See  '  Fallacies,'  <^  5. 

"The  correctness  ofafoi-mal  and  deliberate  Confession  of  Faith, 
is  not  always,  of  itself,  a  sufficient  safeguard  against  ,error  in  the 
habitual  impressions  on  the  mind.  The  Romanists  flatter  them- 
selves that  they  are  safe  from  Idolatry,  because  they  distinctly 
acknowledge  the  truth,  that  '  God  only  is  to  be  served;'  viz.  with 
'Latria  ;'  though  they  allow  Adoration,  (' hyperdulia'  and  'dulia') 
to  the  Virgin  and  other  Saints, — to  Images, — and  to  Pielics  :  to 
which  it  has  been  justly  replied,  that,  supposing  this  distinction 
correct  in  itself,  it  would  be,  in  practice,  nugatory ;  since  the  mass 
of  the  people  must  soon  (as  experience  proves)  lose  sight  of  it 
entirely  in  their  habitual  devotions. 

"Nor,  again,  is  the  habitual  acknowledgment  of  One  God,  of 
itself  a  sufficient  safeguard  ;  since,  from  the  additional  ambiguities 
of  One'  and  'Uniiy,'  (noticed  in  the  preceding  Article,)  we  may 
gradually  fall  into  the  notion  of  a  merely  fgura  tire  Unity;  such 
as  unity  of  substance  merely,  (see  the  preceding  Article) — Unity  of 
purpose, — concert  of  action,  &c.  such  as  is  often  denoted  by  the 
phrase  of  '  one  mind.'  See  '  Same'  in  this  Appendix,  and  '  Disser- 
tation,' Book  IV,  Chap.  v. 

"  When,  however,  I  speak  of  the  necessity  of  explanations,  the 
reader  is  requested  to  keep  in  mind  that  I  mean,  not  explanations 
of  the  nature  of  the  Deitij,  but  of  our  oien  use  of  ivords.  On  the 
one  hand,  we  must  not  content  ourselves  with  merely  saying  that 
the  whole  subject  is  mysterious,  and  must  not  be  <oo  nicely  pried 
into  ;  while  we  neglect  to  notice  the  distinction  between  divine 
revelations,  and  human  explanations  of  them  ;  between  inquiries 
into  the  mysteries  of  the  Divine  nature,  and  into  the  mysteries 
arising  from  the  ambiguities  of  language,  and  of  a  language,  too, 
adopted  by  uninspired  men.  For,  whatever  Scripture  declares, 
the  Christian  is  bound  to  receive  implicitly,  however  unable  to 
understand  it ;  but  to  claim  an  uninquiring  assent  to  expressions 
of  man's  framing  (however  judiciously  framed)  without  even  an 
attempt  to  ascertain  their  meaning,  is  to  fall  into  one  of  the  worst 
errors  of  the  Romanists. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  to  require  explanations  of  what  God  is  in 
Himself,  is  to  attempt  what  is  beyond  the  reach  of  the  human 
faculties,  and  foreign  from  the  apparent  design  of  Scripture  revela- 
tion ;  which  seems  to  be  chiefly,  if  not  wholly,  to  declare  to  us  (at 
least  to  insist  on  among  the  essential  articles  of  faith)  with  a  view 
to  our  practical  benefit,  and  to  the  influencing  of  our  feelings  and 
conduct,  not  so  much  the  intrinsic  nature  of  the  Deity,  as  what  he 
is  relatively  to  us.     Scripture  teaches  us  (and  our  Church  Gate- 


TRINITY.  217 

chism  directs  our  attention  to  these  points)  to  '  believe  in  God, 
who,  as  the  Father,  hath  made  us  and  all  the  world, — as  the  Son, 
hath  redeemed  us  and  all  mankind, — as  the  Holy  Ghost,  sanctifieth 
us,  and  all  the  elect  people  of  God.'  And  this  distinction  is,  as  I 
have  said,  pointed  out  in  the  very  form  of  Baptism.  Nothing, 
indeed,  can  be  more  decidedly  established  by  Scripture, — nothing 
more  indistinctly  explained  (except  as  far  as  relates  to  us)  than  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity ;  nor  are  we  perhaps  capable,  with  our 
present  faculties,  of  comprehending  it  more  fully. 

"  In  these  matters  our  inquiry,  at  least  our  first  inquiry,  should 
always  be,  what  is  revealed:  nor  if  any  one  refuses  to  adopt,  as  an 
article  of  faith,  this  or  that  exposition,  should  he  be  understood  as 
necessarily  maintaining  its  falsity.  For  we  are  sure  that  there 
must  be  many  truths  relative  to  the  Deity,  which  we  have  no 
means  of  ascertaining :  nor  does  it  follow  that  even  every  truth 
which  can  be  ascertained,  must  be  a  part  of  the  essential  faith  of  a 
Christian. 

"  And  as  it  is  wise  to  reserve  for  mature  age,  such  instructions 
as  are  unsuitable  to  a  puerile  understanding,  so,  it  seems  the  part 
of  a  like  wisdom,  to  abstain,  during  this  our  state  of  childhood, 
from  curious  speculations  on  subjects  in  which  even  the  ablest  of 
human  minds  can  but  '  see  by  means  of  a  glass,  darkly.'  On  these, 
the  Learned  can  have  no  advantage  over  others ;  though  we  are 
apt  to  forget  that  any  mysterious  point  inscrutable  to  Man,  as 
Man,— surpassing  the  utmost  reach  of  human  intellect, — must  be 
such  to  the  learned  and  to  the  ignorant,  to  the  wise  and  to  the 
simple  alike; — that  in  utter  darkness,  the  strongest  sight,  and  the 
weakest,  are  on  a  level.  '  Sir,  in  these  matters,'  (said  one  of  the 
most  eminent  of  our  Reformers,  respecting  another  mysterious 
point,)  '  I  am.  so  fearful,  that  I  dare  speak  no  further,  yea,  almost 
none  otherwise,  than  as  the  Scripture  doth  as  it  were  lead  me  hy 
the  hand.'' 

"  And,  surely,  it  is  much  better  thus  to  consult  Scripture,  and  to 
take  it  for  a  guide,  than  to  resort  to  it  merely  for  confirmations, 
contained  in  detached  texts,  of  the  several  parts  of  some  System  of 
Theology  which  the  student  fixes  on  as  reputed  orthodox,  and 
which  is,  in  fact,  made  the  guide  which  he  permits  to  'lead  him  by 
the  hand;'  while  passages  culled  out  from  various  parts  of  the 
Sacred  Writings,  in  subserviency  to  such  system,  are  formed  into 
what  maybe  called  an  anoo-mm  of  Scripture ;  and  then,  by  refer- 
ence to  this  system  as  a  standard,  each  doctrine  or  discourse  is 
readily  pronounced  Orthodox,  or  Socinian,  or  Arian,  or  Sabellian, 
or  Nestorian,  &c. ;  and  all  this  on  the  ground  that  the  theological 
scheme  which  the  student  has  adopted  is  supported  by  Scripture. 
The  materials  indeed  are  the  stones  of  the  Temple,  but  the  building 
constructed  with  them  is  a  fabric  of  human  contrivance.  If,  instead 
of  this  too  common  procedure,  students  would  fairly  search  the 
Scriptures,  with  a  view  not  merely  to  defend  their  opinions,  but  to 
form  them, — not  merely  for  arguments,  but  for  truth, — keeping 
'human  expositions  to  their  own  proper  purposes,  [See  Essay  VI, 
First  Series,]  and  not  allowing  these  to  become,  practically,  a 
19 


218  TRINITY. 

Standard ;  if,  in  short,  they  were  as  honestly  desirous  to  be  07i  the 
side  of  Scripture,  as  they  naturally  are  to  have  Scripture  on  their 
side,  how  much  sounder,  as  well  as  more  charitable,  would  their 
conclusions  often  be  I 

"  With  presumptuous  speculations,  such  as  I  have  alluded  to, 
many  theologians,  even  of  those  who  live  near,  and  indeed  during 
the  apostolical  times,  seem  to  have  been  alike  chargeable,  Avidely 
as  they  differed  in  respect  of  the  particular  explanations  adopted 
by  each : 

" '  Unus  utrique 
Error  ;  sed  variis  illudit  partibus.' 
And  it  is  important  to  remember,  what  we  are  very  liable  to  lose 
sight  of,  the  circumstance,  that  not  only  there  arose  grievous  errors 
during  the  time  of  the  apostles,  and,  consequently,  such  were 
likely  to  exist  in  the  times  immediately  following,  but  also  that, 
when  these  inspired  guides  were  removed,  there  was  no  longer  the 
same  infallible  authority  to  decide  what  ivas  error.  In  the  absence 
of  such  a  guide,  some  errors  might  be  received  as  orthodox,  and 
some  sound  doctrines  be  condemned  as  heterodox. 

"  The  Gnostics  introduced  a  theory  of  iEons,  or  successive  em- 
anations from  the  divine  '  Pleroma  '  or  Fulness  ;  one  of  whom 
was  Christ,  and  became  incarnate  in  the  man  Jesus.  The  Sabel- 
lians  are  reported  to  have  described  Christ  as  bearing  the  same 
relation  to  the  Father,  as  the  illuminating  {(faniaTucdr)  quality 
does  to  the  Sun  ;  while  the  Holy  Ghost  corresponded  to  the  warm- 
ing quality  {^ifalnov '.)  or,  again,  the  Three,  as  corresponding  to 
the  Body,  Soul,  and  Spirit  of  a  man;  or,  again,  to  Substance, — 
Thought  or  Reason,  —  and  Will  or  Action.  The  Arians  again 
appear  to  have  introduced  in  reality  three  Gods  ;  the  Son  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  created  Beings,  but  with  a  certain  imparted  divinity. 
The  Nestorians  and  Eutychians,  gave  opposite,  but  equally  fanci- 
ful and  equally  presumptuous,  explanations  of  the  Incarnation, 
&;c.  &c. 

"  Nor  were  those  who  were  accounted  orthodox,  altogether  ex- 
empt from  the  same  fault  of  presumptuous  speculation.  '  Who,' 
says  Chrysostom,  '  was  he  to  whom  God  said,  Let  us  make  man? 

who  but  he the  Son  of  God  V     And   Epiphanius,   on 

the  same  passage,  says,  'this  is'the  language  of  God  to  his  Word.' 
Each  of  these  writers,  it  may  be  observed,  in  representing  God 
(under  ^AaMitle)  as  addressing  Himself  to  the  Son  as  a  distinct 
Being  previously  to  the  birth  of  Jesus  on  earth,  approaches  very 
closely  to  the  Arian  tritheism.  And  Justin  Martyr,  in  a  similar 
tone,  expressly  speaks  of  God  as  '  One,  not  in  number,  but  in 
judgment  or  designs.'  I  will  not  say  that  such  passages  as  these 
may  not  be  so  interpreted  as  to  exclude  both  the  Arian  and  every 
other  form  of  tritheism  ;  but  it  is  a  dangerous  thing,  to  use  (and 
that  not  in  the  heat  of  declamation,  but  in  a  professed  eaposition) 
language  of  such  a  nature  that  it  is  a  mere  chance  whether  it  may 
not  lead  into  the  most  unscriptural  errors.  If  the  early  writers 
had  not  been  habitually  very  incautious  in  this  point,  that  could 
hardly  have  taken  place  which  is  recorded  respecting  the    council 


TRINITY.  219 

held  at  Rimini,  (a.  d.  360,)  in  which  a  Confession  of  Faith  was 
agreed  upon,  which  the  Arianssoon  after  boasted  of  as  sanctioning 
their  doctrine,  and  '  the  Church,'  we  are  told,  '  was  astonished  to 
find  itself  unexpectedly  become  Arian.' 

"  The  fact  is,  that  numberless  writers,  both  of  those  who  were, 
and  who  were  not,  accounted  heretics,  being  displeased,  and  justly, 
with  one  another's  explanations  of  the  mode  of  existence  of  the 
Deit)^  instead  of  taking  warning  aright  from  the  errors  of  their 
neighbors,  sought,  each,  the  remedy,  in  some  other  explanation 
instead,  concerning  matters  unrerealed  and  inexplicable  by  man. 
They  found  nothing  to  satisfy  a  metaphysical  curiosity  in  the 
brief  and  indistinct,  though  decisive,  declarations  of  Scripture,  that 
"God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  World  unto  himself;  '  that 
*in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  Fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily;'  that 
*it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure;'  that  if  we  'keep  Christ's  saying.  He  dwelleth  in  us, 
and  we  in  Him  ;  '  that  '  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his  ; '  and  that  '  the  Lord  is  the  Spirit,'  &c.  They 
wanted  something  more  full  and  more  philosophical  than  all  this; 
and  their  theology,  accordingly,  was  '  spoiled  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudiments  of 
the  world,  and  not  after  Christ,'  Hostile  as  they  were  to  each 
other,  the  grand  mistake  in  principle  was  common  to  many  of  all 
parties. 

"And  in  later  ages  the  Schoolmen  kept  up  the  same  spirit,  and 
€ven  transmitted  it  to  Protestants.  '  Theology  teaches,'  (says  a 
passage  in  a  Protestant  work)  '  that  there  is  in  God,  one  Essence, 
two  Processions,  three  Persons,  four  Relations,  five  Notions,    and 

the  Circumincession,  which   the  Greeks  call  Perichoresis.' 

What  follows  is  still  more  to  my  purpose  ;  but  I  cannot  bring  my- 
self to  transcribe  any  further,  '  Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  coun- 
sel by  words  without  knowledge  ?' 

"  But  the  substance  of  great  part  of  what  I  have  been  saying, 
has  been  expressed  in  better  language  than  mine,  in  a  late  work 
which  displays  no  ordinary  ability,  i\lr,  Douglas's  Errors  Regard- 
ing Religion. 

"  'The  Radical  mistake  in  all  these  systems,  whether  heretical 
or  orthodox,  which  have  embroiled  mankind  in  so  many  scandal- 
ous disputes,  and  absurd  and  pernicious  opinions,  proceeds  from 
the  disposition,  so  natural  in  nian,  of  being  wise  above  what  is 
written.  They  are  not  satisfied  with  believing  a  plain  declaration 
of  the  Savior,  "  I  and  the  Father  are  one."  They  undertake,  with 
the  utmost  presumption  and  folly,  to  explain  in  what  manner  the 
Father  and  the  Son  are  one;  but  man  might  as  well  attempt  to 
take  up  the  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  as  endeavor,  by  his 
narrow^  understanding,  to  comprehend  the  manner  of  the  Divine 
existence.'  —  P.  50. 

«  '  Heresies,  however,  are  not  confined  to  the  heterodox.  While 
the  Arians  and  Semi-Arians  were  corrupting  the  truth  by  every 
subtilty  of  argument  and  ingenious  perversion  of  terms,  the  ortho- 
dox all  the  while  were  dogmatizing  about  the  Divine  nature,  with 


220  TRINITY 

a  profusion  of  words  which  either  had  no  meaning,  or  were  gross 
mistakes,  or  inapplicable  metaphors,  when  applied  to  the  infinite 
and  spiritual  existence  of  God.  And,  not  content  with  using  such 
arguments  against  the  heretics  asgenerally  produced  a  new  heresy 
without  refuting  the  former  one,  as  soon  as  they  obtained  the 
power  they  expelled  them  from  the  Roman  empire,  and  sent  them 
with  all  the  zeal  which  persecution  confers,  and  which  the  ortho- 
dox, from  their  prosperity,  had  lost,  to  spread  every  variety  of  er- 
ror amongst  the  nations  of  the  barbarians. 

"  '  Orthodoxy  has  become  a  very  nice  affair,  from  the  rigor  of  its 
terms,  and  the  perplexity  of  its  creed,  and  very  unlike  the  highway 
for  the  simple  which  the  Gospel  presents.  A  slip  in  a  single  ex- 
pression was  enough  to  make  a  man  a  heretic.  The  use  or  omis- 
sion of  a  single  word  occasioned  a  new  rent  in  Christianity.  Ev- 
ery heresy  produced  a  new  creed,  and  every  creed    a  new  heresy. 

Never  does  human  folly  and  learned  ignorance  appear 

in  a  more  disgusting  point  ofvieAv,  than  in  these  disputes  of  Chris- 
tians among  themselves ;  nor  does  any  study  appear  so  well  cal- 
culated to  foster  infidelity  as  the  history  of  Christian  sects,  unless 
the  reader  be  guided  by  light  from  above,  and  carefully  distinguish 
the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  from  the  miserable  disputes  of  pretended 
Christians.'   P.  53. 

"  To  discuss  this  important  subject  more  fully,  (or  perhaps  in- 
deed as  fully  as  it  has  been  here  treated  of,)  is  hardly  suitable  to  a 
logical  work  :  and  yet  the  importance  of  attending  to  the  ambigu- 
ity I  have  now  been  considering,  cannot  be  duly  appreciated, 
without  offering  some  remarks  on  the  subject-matter  with  which 
that  ambiguity  is  connected ;  and  such  remarks  again,  if  scantily 
and  imperfectly  developed,  are  open  to  cavil  or  mistake.  I  must 
take  the  liberty,  therefore,  of  referring  the  reader  to  such  works, 
both  my  own,  and  those  of  others,  as  containing  something  of  a 
fuller  statement  of  the  same  views.  —  See  Essays  (First  Series,) 
Essay  II,  §  4,  and  Essays  IV  and  V ;  —  Second  Series,  Essay 
VI,  ^  2,  p.  199 ;  VII,  ^3;  and  IX,  «^  1.  —  Origin  of  Romish 
Errors,  Chap,  ii,  <5'  !•  Archbisliop  King's  Sermon  on  Predestina- 
tion, Sfc,  and  Enclyclop.  Meti-opol.  History,  Chap,  xxvii,  p. 
5S9,  and  Chap,  xxxiv,  p.  740,"  * 

"ONE  —  is  sometimes  employed  to  denote  strict  and  proper 
numerical  Unity;  sometimes,  close  Resemblance;  —  correspon- 
dence with  one  single  description.  —  See  '  Same.' 

Facies  non  omnibus  UNA, 


Nee  diversa  tamen  ;  qualem  decet  esse  sororum.' 

Ov.  Metam.  b.  ii. 
"  It  is  in  the  secondary  or  improper,  not  the  primary  and  proper 
sense  of  this  word,  that  men  are  exhorted  to  '  be  of  one   mind; ' 
i.  e.  to  agree  in  their  faith,  pursuits,  mutual  affections,  &:c. 

"  It  is  also  in  this  sense  that  two  guineas,  e.  g.  struck  from   a 

*  The  7chole  of  this  article  is  inserted,  in  order  that  I  rnicht  not  appear  to  suppress 
any  observations  on  tlie  sin  of  presumption  which  some  have  attributed  to  Sweden* 
borg,  but  which  are  already  answered  in  the  body  of  the  letter. 


TRINITY.  221 

wedge  of  uniform  fineness,  are  said  to  be  '  of  one  and  the  same 
form  and  weight,  and  also,  of  one  and  the  same  substance.'  In 
this  secondary  or  improper  sense  also,  a  child  is  said  to  be  'of  one 
and  the  same  (bodily)  substance  with  its  mother  ; '  or,  simply  'of 
the  substance  of  its  mother  : '  for  these  two  pieces  of  money,  and 
two  human  beings  are  numerically  distinct. 

"  It  is  evidently  most  important  to  keep  steadily  in  view,  and 
to  explain  on  proper  occasions,  these  different  uses  of  the  word  ; 
lest  men  should  insensibly  slide  into  error  on  the  most  important 
of  all  subjects,  by  applying,  in  the  secondary  sense,  expressions 
which  ought  to  be  understood  in  the  primary  and  proper." —  See 
'Person.' 

*  "  Specimens  of  this  '  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,'  such  as  are 
to  be  found  in  various  dissertations  on  what  are  called  the  myste- 
rious doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith,  such  as  I  cannot  bring  my- 
self to  transcribe,  and  cannot  even  think  of  without  shuddering, — 
it  may  be  sometimes  a  profitable  though  a  painful  task  to  peruse, 
in  order  to  estimate  duly,  as  a  warning  and  adixionition  to  our- 
selves, the  effects  of  misapplied  learning  and  misdirected  ingenuity. 
To  select  one  instance  out  of  many,  no  point  in  these  systems  of 
speculative  theology  has  so  much  exercised  the  perverted  powers 
of  divines  of  this  stamp  as  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity,  or,  as  they 
might  with  more  propriety  have  called  it,  the  mystery  of  the  di- 
vine Unity;  for  though  in  itself  the  doctrine,  so  sedulously  incul- 
cated throughout  the  Scriptures  that  there  is  but  one  God,  seems 
to  present  no  revolting  diflSculty,  yet,  on  rising  from  the  disquisi- 
tions of  many  scholastic  divines  on  the  inherent  distinctions  of  the 
three  Divine  Persons,  a  candid  reader  cannot  but  feel  that  they 
have  made  the  Unity  of  God  the  great  and  difficult  mystery,  and 
have,  in  fact,  so  nearly  explained  it  away,  and  so  bewildered  the 
minds  of  their  disciples,  as  to  drive  them  to  withdraw  their 
thoughts  habitually  and  deliberately  from  every  thing  connected 
with  the  subject,  as  the  only  mode  left  for  the  unlearned  to  keep 
clear  of  error." 

Note.  "  It  is  however  important  to  remark,  that,  though  the 
Unity  of  the  Deity  is  not,  in  itself,  a  doctrine  of  very  mysterious 
difficulty,  it  is  one  which  is  the  more  earnestly  dwelt  on  in  Scrip- 
ture, besides  other  reasons,  for  one  resulting  from  the  tone  of  the 
Scriptures  themselves.  For  they  would,  but  for  these  express 
declarations,  naturally  lead  the  reader  either  to  believe  in  three 
Gods,  or  at  least  to  be  in  doubt  on  the  question.  The  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity  is  not  so  much  declared  as  a  distinct  article  of  faith,  as 
it  is  implied  by  the  whole  history  recorded,  and  views  everywhere 
taken  in  Scripture,  of  God's  threefold  manifestation  of  Himself, 
which  are  such  as  would  present  to  our  minds  nothing  inconsisterit 
with  the  agency  of  three  Divine  Beings  acting  in  concert,  were  it 
not  that  such  sedulous  care  is  taken  to  assure  us  of  the  numerical 
Unity  of  the  God  thus  manifested  to  us;  that  in  the  Son  'dwelleth 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,'  &c.  &c.     See  Essay  vii,  (Second 

*  Extracted  from  the  Errors  of  Romanism,  p.  83.     (By  Archbishop  Whately.) 

19* 


222  TRINITY. 

Series),  pp.  234,  235,  and  Essay,  ix,  pp.  277,  281.  See  also  Hinds^s 
'  Three  Temples  of  the  One  God,'  pp.  129, 3  32,  for  a  most  luminous 
view  of  this  important  subject. 

"  The  reader  is  also  referred  to  the  articles  '  One,'  and  '  Person,' 
in  the  Appendix  to  the  '  Elements  of  Logic'  It  has  been  doubted 
whether  there  is  any  foundation  for  the  suspicion  I  have  there 
expressed,  that  the  language  of  some  divines  has  a  leaning 
towards  Tritheism.  The  following  extract  will  at  once  explain 
my  meaning,  and  prove,  I  conceive,  satisfactorily,  that  my  appre- 
hensions are  not  altogether  groundless.  It  is  taken  from  a  work 
of  considerable  merit,  and  which  has  obtained  not  only  much 
popularity,  but  also  a  peculiarly  high  description  of  patronage. 
Several  of  my  readers  will  perhaps  recognize  the  passage ;  but  I 
purposely  avoid  naming  the  book,  because  it  is  not  my  object  to 
discuss  the  merits  of  this  or  that  individual  work,  but  to  call 
attention  to  the  notions  which  are  afloat  in  the  world  generally ; 
and  I  am  so  far  from  designing  to  particularize  the  work  in  ques- 
tion, as  containing  any  thing  novel,  peculiar,  likely  to  be  gene- 
rally otlensive,  and  at  variance  with  prevailing  opinions,  that  my 
meaning  is  the  very  reverse. 

'"  When  the  great  Creator  had  finished  the  rest  of  his  works, 
wanting  another  creature  to  rule  them  all,  and,  as  their  priest,  to 
adore  him  in  their  name,  he  said,  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own 
image, after  our  likeness."  In  the  creation  of  other  things  all  is  done 
with  the  tone  of  command,  or  with  a  mere  volition.  "  Let  there 
be. light;  let  there  be  a  firmament;  let  the  earth  bring  forth  so 
and  so."  But  when  man  is  to  be  made — a  creature  who  is  to  be 
endued  with  reason  and  intelligence — the  very  image  of  the  Maker, 
he  uses  an  expression  which  indicates  deliberation  and  counsel ; 
he  consults  with  some  other  august  Beings  (the  two  remaining 
Persons  of  the  Trinity,  no  doubt,)  of  whom,  as  well  as  of  himself, 
man  was  to  be  both  the  workmanship  and  the  resemblance.' 

"If  this  passage  had  stood  alone  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  or  if 
the  Jews  had  interpreted  it,  as  this  writer  has  done,  without  any 
reference  to  the  other  passages  of  Scripture  which  serve  to  qualify 
and  guard  it,  they  would  doubtless  (as  the  above  extract  seems  to 
shew)  have  adopted  nearly  the  same  hypothesis  as  was  long  after- 
ward broached  by  Arius,  that  the  supreme  God  acts  in  concert 
'  with  some  other  august  Beings  !'  " 

[End  of  the  extracts  from  the  works  of  Archbishop  Whately. 
The  reader  will  now  compare  them  with  what  follows.] 


Bxinlu 

^^Woe  unto  us!  for  the  day  goeth  aivay,  for  the  shadows  of  the 
evening  are  stretched  out."     (Jer.  vi,  4.) 

"  Q.  How  can  three  distinct  persons   so   partake  of  the   one 
Divine  nature  or  essence,  as  altogether  to  make  but  one  God  ? 


TRINITY.  223 

"A.  That  is  not  my  concern  to  explain  ;  this  I  am  sure,  that  if 
the  Scriptures  be  (as  we  all  allow  that  they  are)  the  Word  of  God, 
what  they  plainly  deliver  must  be  true  ;  because  it  is,  in  effect, 
delivered  by  God,  w^ho  can  neither  be  himself  deceived,  nor  will 
deceive  me.  Now  that  they  deliver  both  these  propositions  to  me, 
that  the  Father  is  God,  the  Son  is  God,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
God,  and  yet  that  there  are  not  three  Gods,  but  one  God,  I  am  as 
sure  as  I  can  be  of  any  thing  that  is  spoken  or  written  for  my 
understanding.  That,  therefore,  both  of  these  assertions  are  true 
and  credible,  I  am  sure.  But  how,  or  after  ivhat  manner,  I  am  to 
understand  them,  so  as  to  remove  all  shew  of  contradiction  in  them, 
this  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  not  revealed;  nor  do  I,  therefore, 
presume  to  pronounce  any  thing  more  particularly  concerning  it." 
— Principles  of  the  Christian  Religion  Explained.  A  Catechism,  hy 
Archbishop  Woke.     Section  15.* 

t  "  Questions  may,  however,  arise,  as  to  the  particular  Divinity 
of  the  Son  ;  whether,  for  instance,  he  may  be  considered  as  Divine, 
by  himself  and  alone,  and  be  compared  with  the  Father,  as  it 
regards  his  several  attributes  or  otherwise  ?  I  answer,  lean  only 
say  that,  as  the  Scripture  appears  to  represent  Christ  as  proceeding 
from  the  Father  and  being  very  God,  just  as  any  son  of  man  may  he 
said  to  proceed  from  his  natural  father  and  he  very  man,  although  it 
is  quite  out  of  my  power  to  particularize  about  the  process  in  either 
case ;  so  I  think  I  can  reasonably  believe  Christ  to  be  of  God,  and 
very  God ;  a  being  proceeding  from  the  eternal,  invisible,  and  in- 
comprehensible fountain  of  life  and  light,  and  adapted  to  the  com- 
prehension of  creatures  such  as  we  are,  as  far  as  such  comprehen- 
sion is  necessary  to  our  instruction  and  welfare.  If  it  be  asked, 
whether  the  Father  and  the  Son  can  be  considered  each  as  exist- 
ing absolutely  and  independently  of  the  other,  and  exerting  the 
powers  of  independent  Deity  ?  I  answer  at  once,  I  cannot  tell. 
Reason  has  nothing  to  offer  on  the  subject  one  way  or  the  other, 
and  the  Scriptures  are  silent." — Professor  Lee''s  Sermons. — Doc- 
trine af  the  Trinity,  Dissertation  1,  p.  110. 

t  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son  ;  his  one,  his  dear,  his  only  Son, 
or  his  Only  begotten  Son,  the  Son  of  his  love  and  of  his  bosom, 
his  Son  from  eternity,  the  everlasting  Son  of  the  Father.  The  Son 
loveth  the  Father  equally  in  return,  and  doeth  always  such  things 
as  please  Him.  The  Father,  and  the  Son,  in  like  manner  and 
degree,  love  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  eternally  and  essentially  pro- 
ceedeth  from  both  together ;  and  they  are  infinitely  and  equally 
loved  and  admired  by  him  in  his  turn  ;  he  being  peculiarly  «/^f^?j, 

*  This  quotation  is  introduced  as  one  instance  of  tJie  unitij  being  considered  the 
mystery.  Neither  in  this  work,  nor  in  Bishop  Home's  Sermon,  whicii  are  tracts 
circulated  by  the  Society  for  Promotins  Christian  Knowledge,  is  any  notice  taken, 
that  the  term  person  is  used  in  any  peculiar  sense.  It  should  he  borne  in  mind,  that 
the  extracts  above  quoted,  are  taken,  with  few  exceptions,  from  the  tracts  circulated 
by  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  and  by  the  Religious  Tract 
Society  ;  that  they  are  not  mere  selections  of  particular  passages,  to  the  exclusion  of 
others  which  qualify  tlieir  meaning  ;  but  that  they  give,  as  I  believe,  a  fair  view  of 
the  subject,  as  designed  by  the  Author,  and  understood  by  the  reader.  The  few 
passages  extracted  from  works  not  circulated  as  tracts,  i^c.  by  religious  societies,  are 
marked  with  a  cross,  f  thus.  The  works  of  Goodwin  and  Charnock  are  on  the  cata- 
logue of  the  Religious  Tract  Society. 


224  TRINITY. 

the  soul  of  love,  the  active  energetic  principle  of  all  goodness  and 
beneficence.  He  is,  besides,  the  common  centre,  the  bond  of 
union  and  relation,  by  which  both  the  Father  and  the  Son  are 
inseparably  and  eternally  united,  as  it  were  consolidated  and  iden- 
tified, by  the  strongest  ties  of  natural  affinity,  congruity  and 
attachm.ent.  In  the  Father  and  the  Son  xheve  is  mutual  love,  a 
re-action  and  reciprocation  of  the  strongest  affection,  the  sincerest 
cordiality,  the  most  perfect  harmony  and  unanimity.  But,  in  and 
through  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  is  also  joint  love  in  the  Trinity,  or 
the  G-odhead ;  that  is,  the  same  common  affection,  the  same 
mutual  pleasure  and  delight  in  the  same  infinitely  lovely  and 
beloved  individual ;  and  this  love  and  delight  reflected  and  recip- 
rocated back,  from  him  and  by  him  on  themselves,  with  equal 
ardor  and  sincerity  of  unmixed  complacency  and  purest  benevo- 
lence. Hence  the  third  person  of  the  Holy  and  undivided  Trinity, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  as  it  were,  the  cement  and  solder  whereby 
the  first  and  second  persons  are  still  more  closely  related,  associ- 
ated, and  united.  Agreeably  to  the  ancient  doxology,  '  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  by  whom  and  with  whom,  in  the  unity  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  all  honor  and  glory  be  unto  thee,  0  Father 
Almighty,  world  without  end." — Doctrine  of  Atonetnent  and  Sacri- 
fice, by  Dr.  Whitley,  Page  26. 

"  God  himself  not  only  undertakes  to  make  (man,)  but  is  pleased 
so  to  express  himself,  as  if  he  called  a  council  to  consider  of  the 
making  of  him.  Let  us  make  man.  The  three  persons  of  the 
Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  consult  about  it,  and  concur 
in  it.  Man,  when  he  was  made,  was  to  be  dedicated  to  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Into  that  great  name  we  are  with  good 
reason  baptized;  for  to  that  great  name  we  owe" our  being.  The 
three  persons  of  the  sacred  Trinity  at  first  concurred  in  counsel 
and  operation,  in  forming  man  ;  as,  afterwards,  in  his  recovery 
from  the  fall." — Commentary  of  Henry  and  Scott.  Genesis,  chap.i, 
vcr.  26,  27,  28. 

t  "  AVe  first  should  carefully  study,  and  duly  be  affected  with, 
that  gracious  consent,  and,  as  it  were,  confederacy  of  the  glorious 
Three,  in  designing  and  prosecuting  our  good  ;  their  unanimous 
agreement  in  uttering  those  three  mighty  words  of  favor  to  man- 
kind, Faciamus,  Redimamus,  Salvemus,  let  us  make  man  out  of 
nothing,  let  us  recover  him  from  sin  and  perdition,  let  us  crown 
him  Avith  joy  and  salvation.  We  should,  with  grateful  resent- 
ments, observe  them  conspiring  to  employ  their  wisdom,  in  con- 
triving fit  means  and  methods  to  exert  their  power  in  the  effectual 
accoinplishment  of  what  was  requisite  to  the  promoting  of  our 
welfare,  the  rescue  of  us  from  all  misery,  the  advancing  us  to  the 
highest  degree  of  dignity,  and  installing  us  in  the  m^ost  perfect 
condition  of  happiness  of  which  our  nature  is  capable  ;  in  the 
prosecution  of  that  gracious  design  which  their  joint  goodness  had 
projected  for  us."  With  much  more  of  the  same  kind. — Defence  of 
the  blessed  Trinity,  by  Dr.  Isaac  Barrow. 

"  We  may  consider,  likewise,  that  in  the  very  name  of  Father 
and  Son,  a  near  relation,  alliance,  and  unity  between  two  of  the 


TRINITY.  225 

persons  is  intimated ;  and,  in  reason,  we  must  infer  something  of 
a  similar  kind  for  the  third,  so  closely  joined  with  them.  It  is  not 
said  '  in  the  name  of  God  and  his  two  faithful  servants,'  nor,  'of 
God,  and  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;'  Avhich  might  have  sug- 
gested a  thought  that  one  only  of  the  three  was  God  ;  but  '  in  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,'  a  style  perfectly  equal  and 
familiar,  without  any  note  of  distinction  more  than  that  of  a  per- 
sonal relation,  carrying  with  it  the  idea  of  a  sameness  of  nature ; 
as  among  7iien  cvcrij  father  and  son  are  of  the  same  human  nature 
luith  each  other.  From  the.  very  wording  of  the  form  of  baptism, 
therefore,  most  reasonably  might  it  be  presumed  that  the  two  first 
persons  named  were  equally  divine;  and  the  inference  from  thence 
would  fairly,  and,  indeed,  unavoidably  reach  to  the  third,  to  make 
all  suitable  and  consistent;  besides,  that  the  terras  Holy,  and 
Spirit,  evidently  point  the  same  way." 

"  It  is  likewise  said,  that  '•  grace  was  given  us  in  Jesus  Christ 
before  the  world  began.'  The  words  intimate  that,  previous  to  the 
creation  of  the  world,  something  had  passed  in  our  favour  above  ; 
that  the  plan  of  our  future  redemption  Avas  then  laid  ;  that  some 
agreement,  some  covenant  relative  to  it,  had  been  entered  into: 
'  grace  was  given  in  us,'  not  in  our  proper  persons,  for  as  yet  we 
were  not,  we  had  no  being ;  but  in  the  person  of  Him  who  was 
afterwards  to  become  our  representative,  our  Savior,  *  in  Christ 
Jesus.'  Now  the  plan  must  have  been  laid,  the  covenant  entered 
into,  by  the  parties  who  have  been  since  graciously  pleased  to 
concern  themselves  in  its  execution.  Who  these  are  we  cannot 
be  ignorant.  It  was  the  Son  of  God,  who  took  our  nature  upon 
him  ;  and,  in  that  nature,  made  a  full  and  sufficient  oblation,  satis- 
faction, and  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  It  was  the 
Father  who  accepted  such  oblation,  satisfaction,  and  atonement ; 
and,  in  consequence,  forgave  those  sins.  It  was  the  Holy  Spirit 
who  came  forth  from,  the  Father  and  the  Son,  through  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Word,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments  ;  by  his 
enlightening,  healing,  and  comforting  grace,  to  ai)ply  to  the  hearts 
of  men  for  all  the  purposes  of  pardon,  sanctification,  and  salvation, 
the  merits  and  benefits  of  that  oblation,  satisfaction,  and  atone- 
ment."—  The  Trinity  in  Umti/,  a  Discourse  hy  Bishop  HorneJ'^ 

"  Christ  was  appointed  by  God,  and  He  Himself  also  undertook 
to  be  our  Surety.  This  you  have  in  Hebrews  vii,  22.  'He  was 
made  surety  of  a  better  Testament,'  or  covenant,  namely,  of  the 
New.  .  .  .  Of  this  covenant  Christ  is  the  plighter  of  his  troth  for 
it,  the  surety,  the  promiser,  the  undertaker.  The  verb  this  comes 
of  means  to  prove,  which  comes  from  the  words  signifying  s^/7^m^ 
hands,  or  giving  one's  hand  as  a  sign  of  a  covenant,  and  so  to  bar- 
gain with,  or  ilnake  up  a  covenant.  '  Be  not  thou  one  of  them 
that  strike  hands,  or  of  them  that  are  sureties  for  debts,'  (Prov. 
xxii,  26)  ....  God  did,  as  it  were,  say  to  Christ,  '  What  they 
owe  me  I  require  it  all  of  your  hands;'  and  Christ  assented,  and 
from  everlasting  struck  hands  with  God  to  do  all  for  us  that  God 
could  require,  and  undertook  it  under  the  penalty  that  lay  upon  us 
to  have  undergone;  yea,  Christ  became  such  a  surety  in  this  for 


226 


T  R  r  X  I  T  Y. 


US,  as  is  not  to  be  found  among  men.  On  earth  sureties  are  wont 
to  enter  into  one  and  the  same  bond  with  the  debtors,  so  as  the 
creditor  may  seize  on  which  of  the  two  he  will,  whether  on  the 
debtor  or  on  the  surety,  and  so,  as  usual,  on  the  debtor  first,  for 
him  we  call  the  principal  ;  but  in  this  covenant  God  would  have 
Christ's  single  bond ;  and  hence  Christ  is  not  only  called  the  surety 
of  the' covenant,  but  the  covenant,  (Isa.  xlix,  8,  and  elsewhere.) 
God  making  the  covenant  of  grace  primarily  with  Him,  and  with 
Him  as  for  us,  thereby  his  single  bond  alone  was  taken  for  all, 
that  so  God  might  be  sure  of  satisfaction.  .  .  .  'Thou  spakest  in 
vision  to  thy  Holy  One,  and  saidst,  I  have  laid  help  on  one  that  is 
mighty.'  As  if  God  had  said,  'I  know  that  these  will  fail  me, 
and  break,  and  never  be  able  to  satisfy  me  ;  but  you  are  a  mighty 
and  substantial  person^  able  to  pay  me,  and  I  will  look  for  my 
debt  of  you.'  " — Christ  Set  Forth,  Goodwin,  p.  58. 

*'  God  trusted  Christ  before  He  came  into  the  world,  and  saved 
many  millions  of  the  Jews  upon  His  bare  word  ;  and  then  Christ, 
at  his  death,  trusts  God  again  as  much.  .  .  .  Yea,  Christ  thus 
trusted  God  upon  his  single  bond  ;  but  we,  for  our  assurance,  have 
both  Christ  and  God  bound  to  us,  even  God  with  his  surety  Christ ; 
for  He  is  God's  surety,  as  well  as  ours.  A  double  bond  from  two 
snch. persons,  whom  would  it  not  secure?  If  God  the  Father  and 
God  the  Son  thus  mutually  trusted  one  another  for  our  salvation, 
whom  would  it  not  indiice  to  trust  them  both  for  one's  own  sal- 
vation, when,  as  otherwise,  they  must  be  damned  that  will  not  ?" 
— Ib'ifJ.  p.   16,  et  seq. 

"  Indeed,  sacrifices,  as  they  looked  backward,  could  be  no  other 
than  a  transcript  of  the  agreement  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son;  of  the  one's  paying,  and  the  other's  accepting,  the  price  of 
blood  for  the  redemption  of  man  ;  and,  as  they  looked  forward, — 
a  type  of  the  real  performance  of  the  sufferings  on  the  one  part, 
and  the  acceptance  of  them  on  the  other  part,  when  the  fulness  of 
time  should  come  wherein  they  were  actually  to  be  undergone. 
This  tradition  of  sacrifices  was  handed  down  to  all  nations  of  the 
world;  but  the  knowledge  of  the  end  of  them  was  lost." — Christ 
Crucified.     Charnock,  p.  65. 

"  If  we  consider  it  (i.  e.  the  sacrifice  of  Christ)  simply  in  itself, 
without  any  previous  order,  without  any  covenant  struck  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son  concerning  it,  He  was  not  obliged  to  have 
any  respect  to  the  apostate  creature  upon  the  account  of  it.  But 
after  a  covenant  struck  between  them,  wherein  it  was  agreed  that 
Christ  should  lay  down  his  soul  as  a  ransom,  and  offer  Himself 
an  unblemished  sacrifice  for  the  sons  of  men,  and  that  he  should 
see  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  by  his  righteousness  justify  many, 
after  he  had  borne  their  iniquities  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
God  could  not  but  accept  it,  unless  he  could  have  found  a  spot  in 
the  offering,  and  charged  Him  with  a  non-performance  of  any 
article  covenanted  between  them." — Ibid.  p.  137. 

"God  promiseth  to  be  a  Father  to  Christ,  in  the  same  sense 
that  Christ  owns  Him  to  be  His  God  and  his  Father  after  His  resur- 
rection, (John  XX,  17,)  which  respects  God's  relation  to  Him  as 


TRINITY.  227 

Mediator ;  for,  as  He  is  considered  absolutely  as  the  Son  of  God, 
God  could  not  so  properly  be  said  to  be  His  God.  The  term 
implies  a  covenant  between  ihem  ;  in  pursuance  of  which,  Christ 
was  to  be  God's  servant,  and,  in  acceptance  of  this,  God  was  the 
God  of  Christ,  and  promises  to  be  His  Father,  manifesting  His 
Fatherly  and  gracious  acceptance  of  His  services,  as  a  father  doth 
the  obedience  of  a  Son  ;  and  therefore  Christ  pleads  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  (for  the  obtaining  the  accomplishment  of  His  grace  in 
those  that  believe  in  Him,)  as  well  as  the  love  which  God  bore  to 
Him  as  Mediator."— 7Z»k/.  p.  142. 

"  This  sacrifice  was  of  infinite  value,  and  therefore  worthy  of 
the  acceptance  of  an  Infinite  Nature.  His  person  was  of  as  great 
a  dignity  as  the  Father's,  to  whom  he  was  oflered.  Though  there 
be  a  distinction  of  order  between  the  three  Persons,  yet  not  of  dig- 
nity. He  had  no  peer  but  God,  for  He  was  equal  with  Him,  had 
equalities  of  perfections  with  God,  was  every  way  equal  to  the  party 
offended,  so  that  He  is  called  God's  fellow,  one  of  the  same  nature 
with  Him  ;  a  man,  as  stricken  by  the  sword,  yet  His  fellow,  as 
considered  in  His  divine  nature."  (Zech.  xiii,  7.) — Ibid.  p.  176. 

"  '  Oh  !  Lord  of  hosts,  how  long  wilt  thou  not  be  merciful  to  Je- 
rusalem, and  the  cities  of  Judah  ?  '  And  Zechariah  saith,  that  he 
observed  that  '  the  Lord  answered  the  angel  with  good  words,  and 
comfortable,' (Zech.  i,  13.)  God  was  fain  to  give  him  good  words, 
as  we  use  to  say,  that  is,  words  thatmight  pacify  Him  ;  as  words  of 
comfort  to  us,  so  good  words  in  respect  to  the  angel's  complaint. 
And  you  may  observe  how,  in  the  answer  God  returns  upon  it, 
which  he  bade  Zechariah  write,  God  excuseth  it,  as  it  Avere,  to 
Christ,  that  his  church  had  been  so  long  and  so  hardly  dealt  withal ; 
as  if,  beyond  his  intention.  He  lays  the  fault  on  the  instruments. 
'  I  was  but  a  little  displeased,  but  they  helped  forward  the  afflic- 
tion,' (v.  15.)  This  is  spoken  and  carried  after  the  manner  of  men, 
to  show  how  tender  God  is  of  displeasing  Christ,  our  Intercessor ; 
that  when  Christ  hath,  as  it  were,  been  a  long  while  silent,  and  let 
God  alone,  and  his  people  have  been  ill  dealt  withal.  He,  on  the 
sudden,  in  the  end,  intercedes  and  complains  of  it;  and  it  is  not 
only  instantly  redressed,  but  excused  for  times  past  with  good 
words  and  comfortable  words.  Christ's  Father  will  not  displease 
Him,  nor  go  against  Him.  in  any  thing.  Now  that  you  may  see 
a  reason  of  this,  and  have  all  cavils  and  exceptions  taken  away, 
that  may  rise  against  this,  and  how  that  there  is  an  impossibility 
that  it  should  be  otherwise,  know  that  this  Father  and  this  Son, 
though  two  persons,  have  yet  but  one  will  between  them,  and  but 
one  power  between  them,  though  the  Son  outwardly  executes  all. 
'  My  Father  and  I  are  one,'  (John  x,  30,)  that  is,  have  but  one  and 
the  same  power  to  save  you,  and  one  mind  and  will.  So  also 
'  the  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the  Father 
do ;  and  whatever  he  doeth,  the  same  the  Father  doeth  also,' 
(John  v,  19.)  They  conspire  in  one,  have  one  power,  one  will, 
and  then  it  is  no  matter  though  God  commit  all  power  to  the  Son, 
and  that  the  Son,  though  he  hath  all  power,  must  ask  all  of  the 
Father;  for  to  be  sure,  whatever   He   asks,  the   Father   hath  not 


228  TRINITY. 

power  to  deny,  for  they  have  but  one  will  and  power.  They  are 
one,  so  as  if  God  deny  Him,  He  must  deny  Himself,  which  the 
apostle  tells  us  He  cannot  do,  (2  Tim.  ii,  13.)  And  so  in  the  same 
sense  that  God  is  said  not  to  have  power  to  deny  Himself,  in  the 
same  sense  it  may  be  said,  He  hath  not  power  to  deny  Christ  what 
He  asks." —  Christ  Set  Forth,  Goodwin,  p.  172. 

"As  God  could  not  testify  His  good  will  to  man  in  a  higher 
manner  than  sending  His  Son  to  be  a  sacrifice  for  him,  so  He 
could  not  in  a  higher  manner  testify  His  delight  in  that  sacrifice 
than  to  send  so  great  a  person  as  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  a  Solicitor 
to  men  to  accept  of  it,  and  a  Comforter  to  those  who  believe  in  it — 
the  third  Person  in  the  blessed  Trinity  to  preserve  the  honor  of  the 
oblation  of  the  second.  God  would  never  have  been  at  the  ex- 
pense of  so  great  a  gift,  to  keep  up  the  credit  of  a  person  and 
sacrifice  wherein  he  had  no  pleasure." —  Christ  Crucijied,  Char- 
nock,  p.  172. 

t  "' Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  done  despite  unto  the  spirit  of  grace?' 
Things  cannot  be  vexed  and  insulted,  persons  may.  Hence  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  thing,  but  a  person,  and  therefore  God.  His 
acts  are  in  some  sense  distinct  Jrom  those  of  God.  "  He  that 
searcheth  the  hearts  knovv^eth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  be- 
cause He  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to  the  will 
of  God.'  If  the  Holy  Spirit  were  the  grace  of  God,  what  could 
induce  the  apostle  to  declare,  what  none  could  doubt,  that  God 
knew  His  own  working  in  their  souls?  Or  to  state  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  intercedes  for  Christians?  that  is,  within  them,  according 
to  God,  since  it  would  be  God  Himself  who  did  it?  Hence  it  is 
certain  that  the  ivork  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  this  passage  is,  in  some 
sense,  distinct  from  the  work  of  God;  and  therefore  the  Holy  Spirit 
cannot  mean  the  grace  of  God,  or  his  influence,  but  is  truly  God 
the  Spirit,  essentially  one  with  the  Father,  but  also  mysteriously 
distinct." —  Christianity  compared  ivith  Umtarianism,  hy  the  Hon. 
and  Rev.  Baptist  W.  Noel,  p.  46. 

(  "  Christ)  was  the  fittest,  in  regard  of  His  being  the  second 
Person  in  the  Trinity.  It  was  not  fit  the  Father  should  suffer  ; 
He  is  regarded  as  the  Governor  of  the  world  :  who  should  then 
have  been  judge  of  the  satisfaction,  whether  it  had  been  suflRcient, 
or  no?  Was  it  fit  the  Father  should  have  appeared  before  the 
tribunal  of  the  Son  ? —  Nor  was  it  so  fit  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
should  undertake  it ;  because,  as  there  was  a  necessity  of  satis- 
faction to  content  the  justice  of  God,  so  there  was  a  necessity  of 
applying  this  satisfaction,  and  quickening  the  hearts  of  men  to  be- 
lieve and  accept  it,  that  they  might  enjoy  the  fruits  of  this  sacri- 
fice. The  order  of  the  three  Persons  had  then  been  disturbed; 
and  that  Person,  whereby  the  Father  and  the  Son  execute  all 
other  things,  had  changed  his  operation." —  Chrisi''s  Death,  Char- 
noch,  p.  78. 

"  Christ  is  a  Person  in  the  Godhead  distinct  from  the  Father, 
'  Advocate  with  the  Father ; '  the  Father  and  the  Advocate  are 
here  distinct ;  a  judge  and  an  advocate  are  different  persons,  have 


TRINITY.  229 

different  offices,  are  exercised  in  different  acts.  The  Father  is 
considered  as  the  governor;  and  the  Advocate,  as  a  pleader."— 
Ibid.  p.  222.  ^ 

"  In  His  incarnation,  He  came  from  the  Father  to  acquaint  us 
with  His  gracious  purposes,  and  how  far  He  had  agreed  with  God 
on  our  behalf;  and  at  his  ascension,  He  went  from  us  to  the 
Father,  to  sue  out  the  benefits  He  had  so  dearly  purchased.  Me 
drew  up  an  answer  upon  the  cross,  to  the  bill,  that  sin  by  virtue 
of  the  law  had  drawn  against  us  ;  and  ascended  to  heaven,  as  an 
Advocate  to  plead  that  answer  upon  his  throne,  and  rejoin  to  all 

the  replies  against  it When  His  offering  was  accepted,  He 

went  to  heaven  to  the  supreme  Judge,  to  improve  this  acceptation 
of  His  sacrifice,  by  a  negociation  which  holds  and  continues  to 
this  day.     Christ  is  entered  into  heaven." — Ibid.  p.  227. 

*'  Q.  Whither  did  our  Savior  ascend  ? 

"A.  Into  the  heaven  of  heavens,  the  presence  of  God;  where 
His  human  nature  is  seated  far  above  all  angels  and  archangels, 
all  principalities  and  powers;  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

*' Q.  What  mean  you  by  His  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God? 

"  A.  The  advancement  of  His  human  nature  to  the  height  of 
dignity  and  authority  in  the  presence  of  God  ;  the  right  hand  being 
esteemed  the  place  of  greatest  honor  and  favor.  Or  it  may  import, 
His  sitting  in  His  human  shape  on  the  right  hand,  or  that  bright 
throne  or  resplendent  glory  which  visibly  accompanies  and  mani- 
fests some  extraordinary  presence  of  God  ; — the  usual  symbol  of 
His  power  and  majesty,  which  was  probably  what  St.  Stephen 
seems  to  have  seen,  when  he  beheld  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus 
standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

"  Q.  What  are  we  obliged  to  believe  concerning  our  Savior's 
ascension  ? 

"  A.  That  the  only  begotten  and  eternal  Son  of  God,  after  He 
rose  from  the  dead,  did,  with  the  same  soul  and  body  with  which 
He  rose,  by  a  true  and  local  translation,  convey  Himself  from  the 
earth  on  which  He  lived,  through  all  the  regions  of  the  air,  through 
all  the  celestial  orbs,  until  He  came  unto  the  heaven  of  heavens, 
the  most  glorious  presence  of  the  Majesty  of  God. 

"  Q.  What  benefit  do  we  particularly  receive  from  Christ's 
exaltation  in  heaven  ? 

"A.  The  great  advantage  of  His  intercession  for  us  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  ;  where  He  is  a  perpetual  patron  and  advocate  in  our 
behalf,  to  plead  our  cause,  to  solicit  our  concernments,  to  repre- 
sent our  wants,  and  to  offer  up  our  prayers  and  requests  to  God, 
by  virtue  of  his  meritorious  sacrifice.  So  that  the  true  penitent 
may  expect  forgiveness ;  the  weak  but  sincere  Christian  strength 
and  assistance,  having  so  powerful  a  Mediator  with  the  Father. 
Those  that  suffer  and  are  persecuted,  may  depend  upon  their  high 
priest  for  comfort  and  support ;  since  he  is  touched  with  a  sense 
of  our  infirmities.  And  all  may  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  to  obtain  mercv  and  help  in  time  of  need  ;  because  our 
prayers  are  offered  to  God  by  so  powerful  and  prevalent  a  hand." 
Nelson's  Fasts  and  Festivals.  Ascoision. 
20 


230  TRINITY- 


il^itrnifiljt 


"J.  land  of  darkness,  as  darkness  itself,  and  of  the  shadow  of  death 
wilhmit  any  order,  and  ivhere  the  light  is  as  darhicss.^'  Job  Xj  22, 
"  I  clothe  the  heavens  with  Uackmss.''^     Is.  1,  3. 

"  '  At  that  day,'  says  Christ,  '  you  shall  ask  in  my  name  :  and  I 
say  not  to  you  that  I  will  pray  the  Father  for  you,  for  the  Father 
himself  loveth  you.'  John  xvi,  26,  27.  .  .  Now  of  that  time  when 
he  shall  be  in  heaven,  He  says,  ''I  say  not  that  I  will  pray  for 
you,'  which  is  not  meant,  that  Christ  prays  not  for  us  in  heaven  ; 
but  rather  those  very  words  are  the  highest  intimation,  that  He 
would  and  doth  pray  for  us,  that  can  be.  When  men  would  most 
strongly  intimate  their  purpose  of  a  kindness,  they  meant  to  do 
for  one,  they  use  to  say,  '^I  do  not  say  that  I  love  you,  or,  that  I 
will  do  this  or  that  for  you;'  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  I  will 
surely  do  it,  and  do  it  to  purpose." — Goodwin,  Christ  Set  Forth^ 
p.  180. 

"  It  is  such  a  speech  as  men  use,  when  they  would  express  the 
greatest  reason  that  another  hath  to  rest  confident  and  assured  of 
their  love.'  '  I  do  not  love  you  ;  no,  not  I.'  It  is  an  e.rpressing  a 
thing  by  its  contrary,  ichich  is  most  emphatical  I  As  when  a  man 
hath  the  greatest  good  turn  done  him  that  can  be,  we  use  to  say, 
'  You  are  shrewdly  hurt.'  It  is  such  an  expression  as  Paul  used 
to  the  Corinthians:  'I  converted  your  souls  when  you  thought  not 
of  it ;  I  caught  you  with  guile  ;  forgive  me  this  wrong.'  So  says 
Christ  here,  '  I  say  not  that  I  will  pray  for  you  ;'  when  the  truth 
is,  that  it  is  the  chief  Avork  which  He  doth  in  heaven  ;  '  He  liveth 
ever  to  intercede  ;  as  He  ever  lives,  so  to  intercede  ever,  and  never 
to  hold  his  peace,  till  sinners  are  saved.'  " — Ibid.  p.  223. 

"  Now  to  raise  up  our  apprehensions  how  potent  and  prevalent 
this  intercession  of  Christ  must  needs  be,  let  us  consider  both  the 
person  interceding,  namely,  Christ ;  and  the  person  with  whom 
Christ  intercedes  for  this  favor,  which  is  God  ;  the  one,  the  Son  ; 
the  other,  the  Father;  and  so  the  greatness  of  Christ  with  God, 
and  the  graciousness  of  God  to  Christ,  together  with  the  oneness 
of  wills  and  unity  of  affections  in  them  both.  So  that  Christ  will 
be  sure  to  ask  nothing,  which  His  Father  will  deny  ;  and  His 
Father  will  not  deny  any  thing,  which  he  shall  ask." — Ibid.  p.l50. 

"  All  matters  of  intercession  are  earned,  we  know,  by  way  of 
favor;  and  therefore  look,  how  prevalent,  in  a  v/ay  of  merit,  His 
being  God  makes  His  death  in  its  kind,  no  less  prevalent  doth  His 
being  the  Son  of  God  make  his  intercession  in  its  kind ;  namely, 
in  a  way  of  obtaining  grace  and  mercy  ;  yea,  so  prevalent  of  itself 
it  is,  that  we  might  buiid  upon  it  alone,  even  as  much  as  upon 
his  death.  And,  indeed,  Christ  intercedes,  not  only  in  the  virtue 
and  strength  of  His  satisfaction  (though  in  that  also,)  and  of  His 
obedience  to  His  Father  ;  but  also  in  the  strength  of  his  relation 
as  a  Son,  who  pleads  his  own  grace  and  interest  in  God,  as  He  is 


TRINITY.  231 

His  Son  ;  which  is  a  consideration  that  doth  always  actually  exist 
and  abide.  Whereas  His  obedience,  though  perfect,  was  but  once 
offered  up,  and  its  existence  is  but  virtual ;  but  He  continues  a 
Son  for  ever,  not  virtually  only,  but  actually."  ....  Ihid.  p.  153. 

"  And  how  effectual  must  the  intercession  of  such  a  Son  be,  who 
is  so' great  a  Son  of  so  great  a  Father;  equal  with  Him,  and  the 
express  image  of  His  person!  Never  any  son  so  like,  and  in  so 
peculiar  a  transcendent  manner  a  son  ;  as  the  relation  of  sonship 
among  men  is  but  a  shadow  of  it.  Christ  is  one  with  the  Father, 
as  Himself  often  speaks  ;  and  therefore,  if  His  Father  should  deny 
Him  any  thing,  He  should  then  cease  to  be  one  with  him ;  He 
must  then  deny  Himself,  which  God  can  never  do." — Ibid.  p.  154. 

"  The  Spirit  is  an  advocate  to  indite  our  petitions,  and  Christ  is 
an  advocate  to  present  them.  Some  distinguish  them,  that  Christ 
is  an  advocate  by  way  of  office,  and  the  Spirit  by  way  of  assist- 
ance ;  but  certainly,  the  Spirit  is  an  advocate  by  way  of  office  to 
counsel  us,  as  Christ  is  an  advocate  by  way  of  office  to  plead  for 
us;  and  the  Spirit  is  as  much  sent  to  do  the  one  in  our  hearts,  as 
Christ  was  called  back  to  heaven  to  do  the  other  for  our  persons. 
The  Spirit  is  an  Intercessor  on  earth,  and  Christ  is  an  Intercessor 
in  heaven.  Again,  as  there  are  two  courts  we  are  summoned  to 
appear  in,  the  court  of  the  Supreme  Judge  and  the  court  of  the 
Judge's  deputy,  our  own  consciences  ;  Christ  clears  us  by  his  plea  at 
God's  bar,  and  sets  us  right  with  the  offended  Father  ;  the  Spirit, 
as  Christ's  deputy,  being  sent  in  His  name,  clears  us  at  the  bar 
of  our  own  consciences.  Christ  answers  the  charge  of  the  law,  in 
the  court  of  God's  justice,  and  the  Spirit  answers  the  accusations 
of  sin,  in  the  court  of  God's  deputy ;  the  one  pleads  for  our  dis- 
charge above,  the  other  pleads  for  our  peace  below,  and  the  voice 
of  God's  spirit  is  as  mighty  in  us,  as  the  voice  of  Christ's  blood  is 
mighty  for  us." — Christ's  Death,  c^c.  Charnock,  p.  230. 

''  (The  petition  of  Christ)  is  in  the  nature  of  a  claim  and  demand. 
It  is  not  a  petition  for  that  which  is  at  the  liberty  of  the  petitioned 
person  to  grant  or  refuse;  but  for  that  which  the  petitioner  has  a 
right  to  by  way  of  purchase,  and  the  person  petitioned  to  cannot 
in  justice  deny.  An  advocate  is  an  officer  in  a  court  of  judicature, 
demanding  audience  and  sentence  in  a  judicial  way;  so  that  this 
intercession  of  Christ  is  not  a  bare  precarious  intercession  ;  for  as, 
when  He  was  in  the  world,  '  He  taught  as  one  having  authority, 
and  not  as  the  scribes,"  (Matt,  vii,  29,)  so  in  heaven,  He  intercedes 
as  one  liaving  authority,  by  virtue  of  his  Mediatorial  power,  and 
not  as  an  ordinary  supplicant.  He  hath  a  right  to  demand;  on 
earth,  indeed,  he  had  only  promises  of  assistance  to  put  in  suit; 
but  in  heaven.  He  pleads  the  conditions  performed  on  his  part, 
upon  which  the  promises  made  to  Christ  become  due  to  Him.  It 
is  now,  '  Father,  I  have  glorified  Thee  upon  the  earth,  now  glorify 
me  with  Thy  own  self,'  (John  xvii,  4,  5.)  He  pleads  for  His  peo- 
ple as  they  are  the  gift  of  His  Father,  and  as  they  have  received 
His  words,  (v.  8.)  He  pleads  His  own  commission,  as  one  sent 
(v.  23.)  He  reminds  the  Father  of  the  covenant  between  them 
both,  as  God  gave  Him  a  command  what  He  should  do  in  the 


232  TRINITY.       * 

world ;  which  was  no  other  than  an  injunction  to  perform  those 
conditions  which  had  been  agreed  upon,  and  that  will  of  God, 
expressed  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  which  is  called  the  will 
of  God,  (Heb.  x,  7.)  Christ,  having  done  this  will^  mediates  for 
the  performance  of  the  conditions  God  was  bound  to  by  this  cove- 
nant;  and  claims  the  performance  of  them  as  a  debt  due  to  His 
meritorious  obedience  on  the  cross  ;  so  that  it  is  not  a  desire  only  in 
a  way  of  charity,  but  a  claim  in  a  way  of  justice,  by  virtue  of 
meriting;  and  a  demand  of  the  performance  of  the  promise." — 
Ibid,  p.'  252. 

"  He  sat  down,  expecting  till  His  enemies  be  made  his  foot- 
stool," (Heb.  X,  13) — expecting  the  full  fruits  of  that  sacrifice,  in 
the  complete  subjection  of  His  enemies;  and,  consequently,  the 
full  felicity  of  Himself  and  His  Friends;  and  all  this  time  of  ex- 
pectation. He  is  suing  out  the  promise  of  God  to  Him,  asking  that 
inheritance  which  was  assured  Him  in  the  covenant  between  them 
(Psalm  ii,  8.)  This  is  the  reason  of  his  sitting  down  for  ever,  to 
exercise  His  priesthood  for  ever,  in  the  presence  of  the  King  and 
Judge  of  all  the  earth.  He  is  always  in  the  presence  of  His 
Father,  in  the  dignity  of  His  person,  and  fulness  of  His  merit, 
continually  spreading  every  part  of  His  meritorious  sacrifice  in  the 
view  of  God.  The  High  Priest  entered  into  the  Holy  of  Holies 
but  once  a  year ;  but  this  High  Priest  sits  for  ever  in  the  court,  in 
a  perpetual  exercise  of  His  function,  both  as  a  Priest  and  a  sacri- 
fice. And  since  His  own  sacrifice  for  sins  offered  on  earth,  was 
sufficient,  He  hath  nothing  to  do  perpetually  in  heaven,  but  to 
sprinkle  the  blood  of  that  sacrifice  upon  the  mercy-seat.  He  is 
never  out  of  the  presence  of  God ;  and  the  infiniteness  of  His  com- 
passions may  hinder  us  from  imagining  a  silence  in  him,  when 
any  accusations  are  brought  in  against  us.  The  accusations  might 
succeed  well,  were  He  out  of  the  way  ;  but,  being  always  present, 
He  is  always  active  in  his  solicitations ;  no  clamor  can  come 
against  us,  but  He  hears  it,  as  being  on  the  right  hand  of  his 
Father ;  and  appears  as  our  attorney  there,  in  the  presence  of 
God,  to  answer  it,  as  the  high  priest  appeared  in  the  holy  of  holies 
for  all  the  people."— 7/^;V/.  262. 

"  If  we  have  Him  and  his  favor,  Ave  may  be  sure  that  we  have 
the  favor  of  God  by  His  means.  For  He  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God  His  Father,  as  our  proctor  and  attorney;  pleading 
and  suing  for  us,  in  all  our  needs  and  necessities." — Homilies, 
Sermon  on  Good  Friday. 

"  If  any  man  sin,  it  implies,  that  every  man  ought  to  make  re- 
flections on  his  conscience,  lament  his  condition,  turn  his  eye  to 
his  great  Advocate,  acquaint  him  w^ith  his  state,  and  entertain 
him  afresh  in  his  cause.  Though  He  lives  for  ever  to  make  in- 
tercession, it  is  only  for  those  who  come  to  God  by  Him  as  their 
agent  and  solicitor ;  for  those  who  come  to  the  Judge,  but  first 
come  to  Him  as  their  attorney." — Christ^s  Death,  Char- 
nock,  219. 

"  He  manages  not  an  intercession  merely  in  a  way  of  charity; 
but  in  a  way  of  authority,  as  a  person  entrusted  by  God,  and  dig- 


TRINITY.  233 

aified  to  this  end  ;  not  only  as  our  friend,  but  as  a  divine  officer; 
as  an  attorney  may  manage  the  suit  of  his  kinsman,  not  only  as 
being  related  to  his  client,  but  as  being  admitted  by  the  court  into 
such  an  office.  Christ  is  not  only  admitted  as  one  of  kin  to 
us,  but  commissioned  as  Mediator  for  us." —  Christ's  Death, 
Charnock,  231. 

t"Itis  His  propitiation  that  He  pleads.  And  we  might  be 
apt  to  suppose  that  His  blood  had  lost  its  value  and  efficacy,  were 
no  mention  made  of  it  in  heaven  since  the  time  it  was  shed.  But 
now  we  see  that  it  is  of  esteem  there;  since  it  is  continually  rep- 
resented in  the  intercession  of  the  Great  Advocate,  the  Attorney 
General  for  the  church  of  God."  *  —  Mattheiv  Henry's  Comments. 
John,  1  Ep.  ii,  1. 

"  He  intercedes  for  nothing  but  what  He  knows  the  Father 
wills.  What  He  did  on  earth  was  not  without,  but  with,  His 
Father's  will;  what  he  doth  in  heaven,  hath  the  same  rule.  As 
they  were  joined  in  the  counsel  of  reconciliation  and  peace  which 
was  'between  them  both'  (Zech.  vi,  13,)  so  they  are  joined  in  the 
counsel  of  advocacy  and  intercession  which  is  between  them  both  ; 
the  one  as  the  Director,  the  other  as  the  Solicitor.  Their  wills 
are  in  the  highest  manner  conformable  to  one  another,  and  the 
will  of  the  Father  as  much  known  by  the  soul  of  Christ  in  heaven, 
as  it  was  on  earth.  He  asks  nothing,  but  he  first  reads  in  the 
copy  of  His  Father's  instructions,  and  considers  what  His  will 
was.  He  reads  over  the  annals  of  His  Father's  decrees  and  re- 
cords; He  doth  nothing  but  what  He  sees  the  Father  do;  He  takes 
the  copy  of  all  from  His  Father ;  and  whatsoever  Christ  doth,  the 
same  doth  the  Father  also.  They  have  but  one  will  in  the  whole 
current  of  redemption  ;  so  that  He  can  plead  nothing  in  regard  of 
the  persons  for  whom  He  appears,  and  the  good  things  He  desires 
for  them,  but  it  is  according  to  the  will  of  God If  He  gives 

*  Bishops  Beveridge,  Reynolds,  Pearson,  Archhisliop  Tillotson,  also  Drs.  Barrow, 
Hammond,  &c.,  take  fundamentally  tlie  same  view  o(  iJie  subject ;  although  some  of 
them  do  not  enter  into  such  [larticulars  as  are  supplied  by  others.  A  few,  after  fol- 
lowing out  the  details  in  the  lowest  and  most  literal  sense,  appear  to  have  occa.s'on- 
ally  some  mi.^givings,  as  to  whether  it  is  possible  that  such  things  can  he.  Of  these 
Bishop  h'everidge  appears  to  be  one  —  wlio,  in  his  sermon  on  Christ's  Ascension,  af- 
ter describing  the  olficeol  intercession  in  the  usual  manner,  observes,  "  We  riuistnot 
think  that  Me  makes  any  solemn  prayers  to  His  Father,  as  we  do,  or,  at  l^ast, 
ou-iht  to  do.  No;  whatsoever  He  would  have.  He  only  actually  wdls  it  should 
be  so,  and  immediately  it  is  just  so  as  He  would  have  it."  Still,  however,  by  this 
observation,  the  pious  and  learned  prelate  seems  to  mean  no  more  than  that  our  Sa- 
vior's prayers  to  the  Father  in  heaven,  aie  like  the  one  He  offered  up  on  the  earth. 
"  Father,  /  irill  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am," 
&,c.  Indeed,  this  is  the  explanation  the  Bislntp  afterward  gives.  Unfortunately, 
however,  many  a  learned  commentator  will  not  allow  of  it ;  insistmg,  it  seems,  lor 
various  reasons,  upon  prayers  and  entreaties,  though  tacit,  such  as  (/'hristians  com- 
monly offer  up.  Hence  some  maintain  that,  when  our  Savior  says,  "  Father,  I  will 
that  they  also  wliom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,"  the  expression 
/  wi/^ueans  /  wis/i,  I  implore,  is-c.  'J'his  is  the  meaning  attached  to  the  word  in 
Parkhurst's  Lexicon  ;  as  also  in  Bloomfield's  Synopsis,  w  lit-re  any  other  meaning 
than  that  of  petition  or  supplication  is  treated  as  absurd.  Olhers,  like  Keach,  give, 
as  will  be  seen,  a  different  turn  to  the  passage  ;  but  in  both  casos,  the  rea  er  is  thrown 
back  upon  those  popular  views  of  intercession  and  medntion,  which  are  described 
aliove  ;  because  the  mediation  or  intercession  going  on  in  heaven,  they  conceive  to 
be  of  the  same  nature  with  that  which  took  place  on  earth  ;  with  this  additional  ad- 
vantage, that  Christ,  in  heaven,  tan  more  effectually  plead  his  nwn  merits. 

20* 


234  TRINITY. 

blessings  for  the  glory  of  his  Father,  He  then,  in  his  suit,  urgeth 
the  glory  of  His  Father  as  an  argument  to  obtain  them.  God 
must,  then,  be  an  enemy  to  his  own  glory,  if  He  be  deaf  to  his 
Son's  suit ;  and  since  the  Advocate's  plea  is  suitable  to  the  Fa- 
ther's will,  He  cannot  reject  the  will  of  his  Son,  without  otfering 
violence  to  His  own  will.  They  are  both  one  in  will,  and  one  in 
affection.  His  human  will  cannot  desire  any  thing  in  opposition 
to  the  Divine."*—  Christ's  Death,  Charnock,  p.  278. 

"  His  advocacy  for  us  is  a  confession  of  our  interest  in  Him, 
our  owning  of  Him  :  hy  virtue  of  which  confession,  or  claim,  we 
are  set  right  in  the  court  of  God,  as  those  for  whom  He  hath  shed 
His  blood.  .  This  intercessory  demand,  or  asking,  is  accompanied 
with  the  presenting  the  memorials  of  his  death.  It  is  a  com- 
memoration of  the  sacrifice  which  He  offered  on  earth  for  our  ex- 
piation ;  and  the  whole  power  of  intercession,  with  the  prevalence 
of  it,  is  wholly  upon  this  foundation;  it  is  a  presenting  the 
efficacy  of  his  death,  the  virtue  of  his  blood,  the  pleasure  of  God 
in  the  sacrifice  offered  by  Him.  It  is  by  the  displaying  the  whole 
merit  of  his  passion,  that  he  doth  solicit  for  us.  Intercession  is 
not  properly  a  sacerdotal  act,  without  respect  to  the  sacrifice.     It 

*  The  following  are  extracts  from  Keach's  ISIetaphnrs,  on  The  Office  of  Christ 
as  an  Advocate.  (Articles  11,  12,  13,  14,  17,  18,  21,  23,  27.)  An  advocate  usually 
speaks  comfort  to  his  client  especially  if  the  cause  will  bear  it.  Jesus  Christ  out- 
does all  advocates  under  heaven,  in  all  things;  for  He  speaks  so  as  never  man 
spake  like  Him.  He  bids  them  ask  what  they  will,  and  He  will  do  it  for  them. 
Ask  and  it  shall  be  done,  that  youi  joy  maybe  full.  An  advocate  can  use  free- 
dom of  speech,  and  s[ieaks  boldly  to  the  judge  ;  Chiist  most  fully  answers  to  this 
where  he  saith,  Fatlier,  I  will  iliat  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me 
where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory.  An  advocate  knows  the  fittest  time 
to  manage  business  ;  and  every  thing  is  beautiful  in  its  season.  'J'he  Lord  Jesus 
knows  the  fittest  lime  to  manage  business  on  the  behalf  of  souls  ;  there  is  an  accep- 
table tmie  for  him  to  be  heard,  and  to  do  his  work.  When  Satan  tempts,  when  he 
desires  to  sift,  when  he  accustth  to  God,  as  in  the  case  of  Job,  when  provocation  is 
given  and  the  enemy  lays  siege  against  the  soul,  then  is  a  fit  time  for  our  advocate 
to  work  ;  this,  ("hrist  is  well  acquainted  with,  &c.  An  advocate  hath  the  judge's 
ear  mure  than  those  that  are  but  standei-s  by,  that  may  be  somewhat  concerned  m  a 
cause  ;  bui  the  judge  listens  to  him,  because  he  expects  him  to  speak  to  the  purpose, 
who  h;iih  authority  so  to  do.  Christ  hath  the  ear  of  the  heavenly  Judge,  because  he 
always  speaks  to  the  very  life  of  the  cause.  He  was  heard  in  all  things,  and  at  all 
times  ;  '  I  know  tiiat  tiiou  hearest  me  always.'  He  only  is  authorized  to  plead  for 
poor  sinners.  An  advocate  is  much  honored  by  the  judge  in  all  his  replies;  some- 
tunes  gives  him  the  title  of  brother.  Christ  is  very  much  honored  by  God,  He  calls 
Him  His  fellow,  and  will  hive  all  men  honor  the  ,"^on,  even  as  they  honor  the  Fa- 
ther. Arr  advocate  knows  much  of  the  judge's  mind,  being  skilledin  all  the  rules 
that  he  judgeth  by  ;  and  is  well  acquainted  with  his  nature  and  disposition.  Jesus 
("hrist  knows  much  of  the  mind  of  God,  '  being  always  by  Him,  and  as  one  brought 
up  with  Hiin,'eicc.  (Frov.  viii.)  An  able  advocate  doth,  and  that  not  seldom,  carry 
causes,  that  are  very  doubtful,  to  otliers  ;  Christ  did  frequently,  when  on  earth,  and 
doth,  sirrce  his  departure  into  heaven,  cany  causes  doubtful  toothers.  He  carried 
the  cause  in  a  great  trial  against  Satan,  who  had  made  strong  attempts  against  Him, 
after  He  hul  fasted  forty  days,  <Slc.  A  good  advocate  is  always  very  diligent,  and 
mindful  of  his  clients'  concerns.  Christ  is  very  diligent,  never  guilty  of  any  neglect 
in  acting  for  His  people  ;  He  went  about  djiirg  good,  pleaded  often  ;  pleaded  strongly 
with  crying  and  tears ;  used  mighty  and  prevading  arguments  with  God,  on  the  be- 
half  of  iiis  tliick  on  earth  ;  pleads  for  great  things  for  them,  &.c.  A  wise  and  honorable 
advocate  lieth  fair  for  preferment,  i.  e.  in  some  space  of  time  to  be  a  judge  himself, 
when  his  work  and  business  of  advocacy  ceaseth.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  the  wisest 
and  most  honorable  advocate  that  ever  was,  arrd  therefore,  is  the  undoubted  heir  to 
irrefoimeirt,  ye;i,  to  the  greatest  of  prefermeirts  ;  He  being  appointed  the  judge  of  all 
the  world,  by  a  f  mneraird  uiriuterable  decree  ;  '  Him  hath  God  ordained  to  be  judge 
ofthe  quick  ar.d  the  dead,'  &:c. 


TRINITY,  235 

was  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice,  that  the  high  priest  was  to  en- 
ter into  the  holy  of  holies,  and  sprinkle  it  there.  The  satne  blood 
that  had  been  shed  without,  on  the  day  of  expiation,  was  to  be 
carried  within,  the  veil.  What  was  done  typically,  Christ  doth 
really;  first  give  Himself  a  sacrifice,  and  then  present  Himself  as 
the  sacrifice  for  us.  The  apostle  shews  us  the  manner  of  it 
(Heb.  xii,  24.)  The  blood  of  Christ  is  a  speaking  blood,  as  well 
as  the  blood  of  Abel.  It  speaks  in  the  same  manner  as  Abel's 
blood  did;  though  not  for  the  same  end.  As  the  blood  of  Abel 
presenting  itself  before  the  eyes  of  God,  was  as  powerful  to  draw 
down  the  vengeance  of  God,  as  if  it  had  uttered  a  cry  so  loud  as  to 
reach  to  heaven  ;  so  the  blood  of  ("hrist,  being  presented  before  the 
throne  of  God,  powerfully  excites  the  favor  of  God,  by  the  loud- 
ness of  its  cry.  He  speaks  by  his  blood,  and  his  blood  speaks  by 
its  merit.  The  petitions  of  his  lips  had  done  us  no  good,  without 
the  voice  of  his  blood.  He  stands  as  a  lamb  slain,  when  He  pre- 
sents the  prayers  of  the  saints  (Rev.  v,  6,  S,)  with  his  bleeding 
wounds  open,  as  so  many  mouths  full  of  pleas  for  us;*  and  every 
one  of  them  is  the  memorial  and  mark  of  the  things  which  He 
suffered,  and  for  what  end  He  suffered  them  ;  as  the  wounds  of  a 
soldier,  received  in  the  defence,  and  for  the  honor  of  his  country, 
displayed  to  persons  sensible  of  them,  are  the  loudest  and  best 
pleas  for  the  grant  of  his  request.  If  the  party-colored  rainbow, 
being  looked  upon  by  God,  reminds  Him  of  His  covenant  not  to 
destroy  the  world  again  by  a  deluge  (Gen.  ix,  14,  16;)  much  more 
are  the  wounds  which  Christ  bears,  both  in  his  hands,  feet,  and 
side,  remembrances  to  him  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  made  with 
repenting  and  believing  sinners.  The  look  of  God  upon  those 
wounds,  whereby  so  great  an  oblation  is  remembered,  doih  as  ef- 
ficaciously move  Him  to  look  kindly  upon  us,  as  the  look  upon 
the  rainbow  disposeth  Him  to  the  continuance  of  the  world.  If 
our  Savior  had  not  a  mouth  to  speak.  He  hath  blood  to  plead;  and 
His  blood  cries  louder  in  heaven  for  us,  than  His  voice  did  in  any 
of  the  prayers  He  uttered  upon  earth ;  for  by  this.  His  performance 
of  the  articles  on  His  part  is  manifested,  and  the  performance  of 
the  promises  on  God's  part  solicited;  when  He  sees  what  the 
Redeemer  hath  done.  He  reflects  upon  what  He  Himself  is  to  do; 
the  blood  of  Christ  speaks  the  tenor  of  the  covenant  of  Redemp- 
tion made  Avith  Christ  on  behalf  of  sinners." — Ibid.  254. 

*  In  Scott's  Christian  Life,  which  is,  I  believe,  a  popular  work,  and  a  reprint  of 
which,  with  the  rest  of  his  worlds,  issued  from  the  Llarendon  Press,  at  Oxford,  in 
the  year  182G,  the  same  idea  is  enlarged  upon  ;  and  in  the  Chapter  on  the  Interces- 
sion of  Christ,  tlie  whole  process  is  explained  with  the  same  degree  of  minuteness  as 
liiat  which  is  exemplified  in  these  extracts.  'J'he  chapter  is  divided  as  follows. 
"  Fiist  —  The  intercession  and  advocation  of  Christ  in  heaven,  is  a  solemn  address 
of  onr  blessed  Savior  to  God  the  Father  in  our  behalf.  Secondly,  This  address  is  per- 
formed by  the  preseniing  (lis  sacrificed  body  to  the  Father  in  heaven.  Thirdly,  It 
is  continued  and  perpetuated,  by  the  perpetual  oblation,  or  presenting  of  this  His 
sacrificed  body.  Fourthly,  In  virtue  of  this  perpetual  oblation.  He  doth  always  suc- 
ctss'.udy  move  and  solicit  God  ;  and  this,  first,  to  receive  and  graciously  accept  our 
sincere  and  hearty  prayer ;  and,  secondly,  to  empower  Him  t(»  bestow  on  us  all 
those  graces  and  favors,  which,  in  consideration  of  His  sacrifice,  God  huth  promised 
to  us." 


236  TRINITY. 

"  As  therefore  He  is  entered  into  heaven,  sat  down  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  and  has  maintained  the  plea  of  his  sacrifice  for  so 
many  hundred  years  since  He  first  entered  His  suit,  it  is  a  proof 
that  the  pleading  His  death,  and  the  sight  of  His  sacrificed  body,  is 
not  wearisome  and  distasteful  to  God.  It  is  not  like  a  carcass 
that  He  desires  to  be  buiied  out  of  his  sight.  He  joyfully  hears 
the  voice  of  His  blood  sounding  in  his  ears  to  this  moment.  Well, 
therefore,  might  the  apostle,  upon  this  account,  make  so  great  a 
challenge  to  all,  '  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that 
died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us,"  (Rom.  viii,  33,  34.) 
Christ  by  His  death  appeased  the  wrath  of  God;  by  His  resurrec- 
tion He  was  acquitted  by  the  justice  of  God  ;  by  His  ascension  He 
took  possession  of  His  regal  throne  ;  by  His  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  He  prevalently  pleads  His  sacrifice  for  the  ends  for 
which  it  was  offered  ;  and  by  His  spirit  applies  His  blood  to  them 
that  believe  in  Him." — Christ  Crucified.,   C/wrnock,  p.  157. 

"  He  understands  our  cause  ;  He  understands  the  law  according 
to  which  he  is  to  plead  the  articles  of  agreement  between  the 
Father  and  Himself;  and  He  understands  the  fulness  and  redun- 
dancy of  His  own  merit.  He  uses  arguments  proper  to  the  cause 
he  pleads,  and  drawn  from  the  nature  of  the  person  He  applies 
himself  to.  When  He  meets  with  the  church  in  weakness  and 
distress  by  potent  adversaries,  and  would  have  the  Jews  delivered, 
and  the  temple  rebuilt,  He  solicits  God  as  the  Lord  of  Hosts  (Zech. 
i,  12.)  When  He  finds  His  people  in  danger  of  sin  and  tempta- 
tion. He  petitions  God  under  the  title  of  Holy  (John  xvii,  11.) 
When  He  would  have  promises  performed  to  them,  He  appeals  to 
the  righteousness  of  the  Father  (John  xvii,  25,)  it  being  part  of 
His  righteousness  to  fulfil  that  word  which  He  hath  passed,  and 
make  good  the  grant  which  so  great  a  Redeemer  merited.  He 
pleads  the  respects  He  had  to  the  Divine  will  in  the  exercise  of 
every  part  of  his  office,  both  of  Priest  and  Prophet  (Psalm  xl,  9,  10,) 
(a  prophetic  psalm  of  Christ.)  '  I  have  not  hid  Thy  righteousness 
within  my  heart,  I  have  declared  Thy  faithfulness  and  Thy  salva- 
tion, I  have  not  concealed  Thy  loving-kindness  and  Thy  truth 
from  the  great  congregation.'  The  adding  thy  to  every  one  of 
them  is  emphatical :  it  was  Thy  righteousness  I  had  commission 
to  declare.  Thy  faalifulness  I  had  order  to  proclaim.  Thy  mercy  I 
had  a  charge  to  publish  ;  Thou  wertas  much  interested  in  all  that 
I  did,  as  I  myself  was.  I  shall  be  counted  false  and  a  liar,  Thou 
wilt  be  counted  unjust  and  cruel,  if  all  be  not  fulfilled  as  I  have 
spoken ;  since  it  was  Thy  rule  I  observed,  and  Thy  glory  I  aimed 
at  in  declaring  it.  Disgrace  not  Thyself  and  Me  in  refusing  the 
petition  of  such  a  supplicant,  who  believes  in  My  word  which  I 
gave  out  by  Thy  authority.  Surely  as  Christ  observed  the  will  of 
God  upon  earth,  so  He  is  wise  to  intercede  for  nothing  but  accord- 
ing to  those  rules  He  observed  in  His  humiliation,  which  was 
whatsoever  might  honor  and  manifest  the  righteousness,  faith- 
fulness, salvation,  truth,  and  loving-kindness  of  the  Father.  This 
is  a  part  of  His  wisdom,  to  plead  for  nothing  but  for  what  H 


TRINITY.  237 

hath  the  nature  of  God  to  subscribe  to  His  petitions,  and  back 
Him  in  them.  It  is  not  for  the  honor  of  an  advocate  to  under- 
take a  cause  he  cannot  bring  to  pass;  nor  will  any  wise  man 
engage  in  a  suit  which  he  hath  not  some  strong  probability  to 
effect.  Our  Lord,  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  stands  more  upon  His  honor  than  to  undertake 
a  cause  He  cannot  accomplish."* — Chrisfs  Death,Charnock,  p.  234. 

Not  only  however  is  Christ  an  intercessor  for  us,  but  it  appears 
that  we  are  also  sometimes  intercessors  for  Christ.  I  quote  from 
the  eighth  edition  of  Family  Prayers,  by  a  clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England. — Rev.  T.  Coter/ll,  Fellow  of  St.  Johii's,  Cambridge. 

t  "  Pardon  us,  therefore,  0  Lord,  according  to  the  multitude  of 
Thy  mercies.  Have  regard  unto  Him  who  knew  ho  sin,  and  was 
made  a  sin-offering  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  Thy  righteous- 
ness in  Him.  Look  upon  Jesus,  the  Son  of  David,  the  Son  of  Thy 
love.  Lord,  remember  Him,  and  all  his  troubles.  Remember  His 
offering,  and  accept  His  sacrifice.  Turn  not  away  the  face  of 
Thine  Anointed,  who,  by  His  own  blood,  is  entered  into  heaven 
itself,  and  now  appeareth  in  Thy  presence  for  us.  Hear  us,  we 
pray  Thee,  for  His  sake,  and  for  the  glory  of  Thy  name." 


"  The  angel,  on  hearing  these  words,  ivas  silent  for  a  long  time^ 
standing  motionless  in  astonishment ;  hut  when  his  surprise  was 
somewhat  abated,  he  thus  delivered  himself ;  '  Is  it  possible  that  the 
Christian  world  should  he  so  infatuated,  and  wander  so  far  from 
sound  reason  into  such  heiuildercd  conceits,  and  establish  the  funda- 
m.':ntal  doctrine  of  salvation  on  such  paradoxes  V ''''  &c. — Sweden- 
horg's  Memorable  Relation,  Article  134.     Universal  Theology. 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was  silence  m  heaven 
about  the  space  of  half  an  hour.''^     Rev.  viii,  1. 

My  Christian  reader,  allow  me  to  ask  a  few  questions.  When 
the  idea  of  separation,  and  of  distinctness  of  office  and  person,  is 

*The  works  of  Goodwin  and  Charnock,  from  which  these  extracts  are  taken, 
are  now  circulatpd  by  the  Religious  Tract  Socictij,  wlio  have  estahlished  district  Libra- 
ries ail  over  tlie  kinudoin,  and  in  many  of  tlie  colonies.  To  shew  the  high  opinion 
whicii  they  entertain  of  these  doctrines,  it  may  he  observed  that,  in  Uie  address  of 
the  committee  as  published  in  the  Report  for  the  year  1837,  the  nature  and  qualities 
of  tiie  tracts  ;ire  thus  alluded  to  .- — "  They  should  consist  of  pure  truth''. .  .  ."uncon- 
taminiited  with  error,  undisturbed  with  human  systems,  cleiir  as  crystal,  like  the 
River  of  Life.".  .  .  ."  Here  should  be  seen  nothing  but  Divine  Truth,  unminaled, 
unadulterated,  pure  as  it  came  from  heaven,  and  fit  for  the  wh  le  human  race  to 
imbibe. '"—"  By  pure  truth,"  is  meant  "  those  Evan<jelical  Princi()les  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, in  which  Luther,  Calvin,  and  t'ranmer  were  a^'reed,  and  that  system  of  doc- 
trine and  scriptural  interpretation,  which  is  conipri.-ed  in  the  Hjumcny  of  the  Con- 
fessions of  the  Reformed  Churches,  both  at  home  and  abroad.''  ....  Amongthe  com- 
mittee it  is  said,  "  There  has  been  such  a  perfect  understandini,'  of  tliese  princii)les, 
as  they  re\ate  to  the  dnctrinal  sentiments,  ^nd  the  botul  of  union  which  connect  the 
members  of  this  institution  in  affer tion  and  in  exertion,  that  these  endeavors  liave 
been  easy  to  themselves,  and  have  been  acknowledged  to  be  satisfactory  to  the  society 
at  large."  I  will  here  onlv  add,  that  I  have  not  availed  myself  of  all  the  illustrations 
of  the'doctrine  of  the  Trinity  and  Atcmement  which  the  Society  have  ciiculated  as 
"  pure  truth," — "  uncontaniinated  with  error," — "  clear  as  crystal,"  and  "fit  for  the 
whole  human  race  to  imbibe"  More  misiht  have  been  added  ;  but  some  of  my  read- 
ers may  think  perhaps  that  enough  has  been  given,  and  others,  perhaps,  loo  much. 


238  TRINITY. 

thus  SO  constantly  dwelt  upon,  and,  as  some  may  conceive,  so 
satisfactorily  explained,  will  it  not  be  impressed  upon  the  mind 
more  forcibly  tban  ihe  idea  of  unity,  which  is  so  seldom  adverted 
to  ;  and  which,  even  when  adverted  to,  is  so  often  explained  in  the 
sense  of  unanimity  ?  If  an  author  writes  a  hundred  pages  upon 
the  Trinity,  and  four  lines  upon  the  Unity,  which  idea  is  likely  to 
be  most  strongly  impressed  upon  the  reader's  mind  ?  In  instruct- 
ing the  common  people,  they  best  understand  our  meaning  by  con- 
veying it  to  them  in  sensible  images.  Tell  them  of  three  persons, 
and  they  will  readily  understand  you.  Tell  them  you  are  speaking 
of  three  persons  who  have  but  one  essence,  and  they  do  not  know 
what  you  mean  ;  for  they  understand  what  person  means,  but  not 
what  essence  rheans.  Tell  them,  that  by  person  you  do  not  mean, 
what  is  commonly  meant,  but  only  a  distinct  mode  of  subsistence, 
they  cannot  understand  what  you  mean  by  mode  of  subsistence; 
still  they  can  give  a  meaning  to  the  word  person,  and,  when  you 
speak  of  three  persons,  will  find  no  difficulty  in  attaching  the 
ordinary  ideas  to  the  expression  ;  more  particularly  when,  in  ex- 
pounding the  doctrine,  you  yourself  may  be  constantly  using  the 
word  in  the  same  sense  in  which  they  do.  Now,  in  addition  to  all 
this,  tell  them  that  one  person  is  gone  up  to  sit  at  the  right  hand 
of  another  person,  they  will  find  no  diiliculty  in  understanding  this 
in  their  way.  Tell  them  that  by  right  hand  you  do  not  mean  a 
member  of  the  body,  for  that  God  is  Avithout  body,  parts,  or  pas- 
sions, that  you  mean  only  that  the  person  is  invested  with  great 
power,  they  may  possibly  arrive  at  some  true  idea  of  what  you 
mean,  still  retaining  the  idea  of  two  persons,  though  not  forming 
to  themselves  any  conception  of  their  relative  situation  in  regard 
to  place.  Tell  them  that  one  person  intercedes  with  the  other 
person,  they  will  immediately  think  of  one  person  speaking  to  the 
other  person,  or  addressing  him  by  some  signs  or  symbols.  Tell 
them  that  this  person  is  a  mediator  between  you  and  God,  that  he 
prays  to  God,  that  he  pleads  his  own  merits  to  God,  and  under- 
takes to  communicate  your  prayers  to  God,  the  idea  of  two  sepa- 
rate existences  becomes  then  tolerably  clear,  more  particularly  if 
you  should  give  no  further  interpretation  of  what  is  meant  by  in- 
tercessor or  mediator.  You  would  think  it  very  wrong  for  a  per- 
son to  presume,  that  in  all  this  you  were  teaching  a  duality,  or  (if 
you  add  your  explanation  of  the  personality  of  the  Holy  Ghost,)  a 
triumvirate  of  Gods  ;  for  you  maintain  that  although  God  be  three 
persons,  yet  he  is  only  one  in  essence.  True,  but  a  poor  man 
does  not  know  what  essence  means.  Tell  him,  that  by  person  you 
mean,  as  you  have  said,  only  a  distinct  mode  of  subsistence,  he 
will  answer  that  you  are  talking  metaphysics.  If,  to  avoid  meta- 
physics, you  say  nothing  upon  the  subject,  then  the  idea  upper- 
most in  his  mind  will  be,  that  of  three  Gods  planning,  covenanting, 
counselling,  agreeing,  co-operating,  and  so  forth,  with  each  other, 
upon  the  subject  of  his  salvation.  Believe  me,  then,  that  the  case 
is  not  one  of  controversy,  or  of  argument  for  the  schools.  In  so 
teaching  an  ordinary  mind,  the  question  is  not  merely  what  your 
ideas  are,  but  what  are  the  ideas  which  your  jsMjoi/  cannot  help  af- 


TRINITY.  239 

fixing  to  your  words.  You  may  reply,  it  is  not  your  fault  if  your 
instructions  are  misunderstood.  The  question  is  not  here,  whose 
fault  it  is,  but  whether  it  be  the  fact.  I  am  not  speaking  so  nmch 
of  the  doctrine  itself,  as  of  the  effect  which  such  a  mode  of  teach- 
ing it  produces,  according  to  the  known  laws  of  the  human  mind.=* 
For  while  the  doctrine  professedly  maintains  that  God  is  one,  the 
idea  produced  in  the  mind  of  the  disciple  is  that  of  three  separate 
Gods.  Indeed,  what  terms  are  there  which  can  be  used  to  signify 
three  separate  beings,  which  have  not  been  used  in  explaining  the 
Tripersonality?  The  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  have  been 
called  three  separate  persons,  without  the  slightest  notice  to  the 
ordinary  reader  that  the  term  person  is  used  in  any  peculiar  sense  ; 
they  are  called  three  intelligent  agents,  three  distinct  subsistences; 
also  individuals,  parties,  separate!  existences,  nay,  as  separate 
and  distinct  as  Peter,  James,  and  John  ;  the  Son  is  declared  to  be 
generated  of  the  Father,  and  to  partake  of  the  same  Divine  Nature 
just  as  any  other  Son  is  begotten  of  his  father,  and  partakes  of  the 
same  human  nature.  All  three  are  said  to  plan,  concur,  agree, 
and  conspire  together;  one  is  said  to  be  appeased;  another,  to 
pacify ;  another,  to  convey  and  apply  the  tidings  of  pacification  ; 
they  are  said  to  be  one,  as  a  unanimous  society  is  one  ;  they  have 
all  separate  offices,  in  many  cases  separate  properties,  and  receive 
separate  worship.  Yet  all  this,  we  are  told,  is  not  a  system  of 
Tritheism  ;  now,  even  if  it  were  not,  how  are  the  generality  of 
uneducated  persons  to  help  mistaking  it  as  such?  Is  the  danger 
avoided  by  telling  them  to  say  with  their  lips,  and  '  yet  they  are 
not  three  Gods,  but  one  God  V  Does  an  evil  not  exist,  because  we 
tell  the  person  not  to  acknowledge  it,  and  he  obeys  the  injunction  ? 
Is  a  malady  the  less  dangerous,  because  the  physician  declares  he 
was  not  concerned  in  producing  it,  and  forbids  the  patient  to  con- 
fess its  existence;  although  all  the  time  it  may  be  consuming  the 
vitals  of  his  system  ?  Besides,  if  I  give  two  meanings  to  a  word, 
and  if,  perhaps,  for  every  time  I  use  the  word  in  one  sense,  I  use 
it,  and  hear  it  used,  a  thousand  times  in  another,  which  of  the  two 
senses,  ceteris  paribus,  will  the  occurrence  of  the  word  be  most 
likely  to  suggest  ?  Will  not  the  law  of  association,  as  it  is  called, 
incline  me  to  assign  to  the  word  its  most  frequent  meaning  ;  more 
particularly  where  this  meaning  is  clear,  and  the  other  obscure  ; 
for  a  clear  idea  produces  a  stronger  effect  upon  the  mind,  than  one 
that  is  obscure  and  indistinct?  If  this  be  the  case,  what  sort  of 
reflections  are  those  which  are  suggested  by  a  survey  of  the  mode 
of  teaching  adopted  in  the  Christian  world  ?     Allow  me  to  draw 

*  Both  those  who  tench,  and  those  who  have  been  disciplined  in,  the  popular  views 
of  the  Trinity,  generally  disavow,  in  the  strongest  words,  the  doctrine  of  Tritheism  ; 
nor  have  I  ever  personally  known  hnt  one  exception  in  which  the  pupil  openly  avow- 
ed the  existence  of  three  Gods,  althonsh  I  can  have  no  doubt  that  every  one  from 
whom  he  had  received  instruction  would,  in  the  strongest  words,  have  disclamied 
the  idea.  His  notion  of  unity  was  the  same,  it  is  presumed,  with  that  of  unanimity. 
Though,  however,  I  have  personally  known  only  one  instance  of  this  kind,  yet 
there  are  many  who  conceive  of  the  three  Divine  Persons  partaking  of  oe  and  the 
eame  divine  nature,  just  as  we  conceive  one  human  nature  to  be  common  to  Peter, 
James,  and  John. 

t  Bishop  Burgess'  Catechism. 


240  TRINITY. 

your  serious  attention  to  the  following  extract  from  a  work  enti- 
tled an  '  Elementary  Course  of  Theological  Lectures,'  by  the  Rev. 
W.  D.  Conybeare.  Speaking  of  the  passages  in  Scripture  which 
refer  to  the  union  of  Christ  with  the  Father,  he  observes,  '  It  has 
ever  appeared  strongly  to  me,  that  these  texts  which  thus  exhibit 
Christ  as  the  only  sensible  manifestation  of  the  Divine  nature  to 
man,  point  out  a  most  important  adaptation  of  the  Christian 
scheme  to  the  wants  of  our  nature,  and  the  limitation  of  our  facul- 
ties. To  minds  constituted  like  oars,  the  abstract  idea  of  the 
Divine  Nature  which  no  man  hath  seen  at  any  time,  which  hath 
nothing  like  unto  itself  whereunto  we  may  liken  it,  conveys  no 
definite  impression  ;  and  abstract  ideas,  thus  vaguely  conceived, 
have  little  power  to  move  our  affections.  Surely,  then,  it  is  most 
mercifully  provided,  that,  to  the  Christian  mind,  this  incomprehen- 
sible essence  is  sensibly  represented  under  a  form,  upon  which  our 
devotional  affections  can  fix  and  attach  themselves  ;  since  the 
Word  became  flesh,  and  tabernacled  among  us,  and  we  beheld  his 
glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace 
and  truth.'  In  the  person  of  Christ,  a  sensible  object,  such  as 
our  f  iculties  need  for  their  contemplation,  is  placed  before  them  ; 
and  that  sensible  object  embodies  to  our  minds  all  the  abstract  perfec- 
tions of  the  Divine  Nature^ — Second  Ed.  p.  448. 

Allow  me  here  to  add  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg  upon  this  sub- 
_ject;  namely,  that  there  is  one  God;  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  that  one  God ;  and  that,  in  this  unity,  there  is  a  Trinity  of 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 

As,  however,  it  is  one  of  the  frailties  of  human  nature,  when  a 
person  is  representing  the  opinions  of  his  opponent,  to  be  less 
careful  in  speaking  the  truth,  than  when  he  is  stating  his  own  ; 
so  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  in  regard  to  the  Trinity,  has  often 
been  represented  as  the  same  with  that  of  Sabellius  and  other 
ancient  heretics,  who  confounded  the  Divine  with  the  human  na- 
tures;  the  entire  untruth  of  which  statement  may  be  judged  of  by 
the  following  extract  from  the  Four  Leading  Doctrines  : — 

"  That  the  Lord  put  off,  ey  successive  steps,  the  Human- 
ity FROM  the  Mother,  and  put  on  a  Humanity  from  the 
Divinity  in  himself,  which  is  the  Divine  Humanity  and  the 
Son  of  God.  That  the  Lord  possessed  both  Divinity  and  Human- 
ity, Divinity  from  his  Father  Jehovah,  and  Humanity  from  the 
Virgin  Mary,  is  well  known.  Hence  He  was  both  God  and  man, 
having  a  Divine  Essence  and  a  human  nature,  a  Divine  Essence 
from  the  Father,  and  a  human  nature  from  the  mother ;  whence 
He  was  equal  to  the  Father,  as  touching  His  Divinity,  and  inferior 
to  the  Father,  as  touching  His  Humanity ;  and,  further,  this 
human  nature  from  the  mother  was  not  transmuted  into  the 
Divine  Essence,  neither  commixed  with  it :  all  which  is  taught  by 
the  doctrine  of  faith,  called  the  Athanasian  Creed.  Indeed,  such 
transniutation  of  the  human  nature  into  the  Divine  Essence,  or 
commixtion  therewith,  is  impossible.  Still  the  same  creed  teaches, 
that  the  Divinity  or  Godhead  took,  that  is,  united,  to  itself  the 
Humanity  or  Manhood,  just  as  the  soul  is  united  to  its  body,  so 


TRINITY.  241 

that  they  were  not  two,  but  one  person.  From  these  two  positions, 
then,  must  follow  this  conclusion,  that  the  Lord  put  off  the 
Humanity  taken  from  the  mother,  which,  in  itself,  was  like  unto 
the  humanity  of  another  man,  and  consequently  material,  and  put 
on  a  Humanity  from  the  Father,  which,  in  itself,  was  like  His 
Divinity,  and  consequently  substantial :  so  that  the  Humanity 
also  was  made  Divine.  Hence  it  is,  that  in  the  prophets,  the 
Lord  is  called,  even  with  respect  to  the  Humanity,  Jehovah  and 
God ;  and  in  the  Evangelists,  the  Lord,  God,  the  Messiah  or 
Christ,  and  the  Son  of  God  in  whom  we  must  believe,  and  by 
whom  we  are  to  be  saved. 

"  In  consequence  of  His  having  from  the  first  a  Humanity  from 
the  mother,  which  he  put  off  by  successive  steps,  the  Lord,  during 
His  abode  in  the  world,  was  alternately  in  two  states  ;  the  one  a 
state  of  humiliation,  or  exinanition,  and  the  other  a  state  of  glori- 
fication, or  union  with  the  Divinity,  which  is  called  the  Father  : 
He  was  in  a  state  of  humiliation  at  the  time,  and  in  the  degree, 
that  He  was  in  the  humanity  from  the  mother  ;  and  He  was  in 
the  state  of  glorification,  at  the  time,  and  in  the  degree,  that  he 
was  in  the  Humanity  from  the  Father.  In  the  state  of  humilia- 
tion He  prayed  to  the  Father,  as  to  a  being  distinct  from  Himself; 
but  in  the  state  of  glorification  He  spoke  with  the  Father  as  with 
Himself.  In  this  latter  state  He  said,  that  the  Father  was  in 
Him,  and  He  in  the  Father,  and  that  the  Father  and  He  were 
One ;  but  in  the  other  state  he  underwent  temptations,  and  suffered 
the  cross,  and  prayed  to  the  Father  not  to  forsake  Him  ;  for  the 
Divinity  could  not  be  tempted,  much  less  could  it  suffer  the  cross. 
Hence  it  further  appears,  that,  by  temptations  followed  by  contin- 
ual victories,  and  by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  which  was  the  last 
of  those  temptations,  He  fully  conquered  the  hells,  and  fully  glori- 
fied the  Humanity,  as  was  shewn  above." 

Having  now  shewn  the  way,  in  which  some  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines' of  Christianity  are  explained,  I  proceed,  finally,  to  shew 
the  other  side  of  the  question,  and  to  afford  a  few  examples  of  the 
manner  in  which  they  are  left  unexplained,  or,  in  which  the  more 
humble  and  sober-minded  consider  these  doctrines  to  be  incompre- 
hensible, upon  any  commonly  received  principles. 


"  Woe  unto  you  that  desire  the  day  of  the  Lord  !  to  what  end  is  it 
for  you  ?  thedayof  the  Lord  is  darkness,  and  not  light.''    Amos  v,  18. 

"  But  now  once,  in  the  end  of  the  world,  Christ  appeared  to  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself."  ....  How,  and  in  what 
particular  way,  (this  sacrifice)  had  this  efficacy,  there  are  not 
wanting  persons  who  have  endeavored  to  explain  ;  but  I  do  not 
find  that  the  Scripture  has  explained  it.  We  seem  to  be  very 
much  in  the  dark  concerning  the  manner  in  which  the  ancients 
understood  atonement  to  be  made  ;  i.  e.  pardon  to  be  obtained  by 
sacrifices.  And  if  the  Scripture  has,  as  surely  it  has,  left  this 
21 


242  TRINITY. 

matter  of  the  satisfaction  of  Christ  mysterious,  left  somewhat*  in 
it  unrevealed,  all  conjectures  about  it  must  be,  if  not  evidently- 
absurd,  yet  at  least  uncertain.  Nor  has  any  one  reason  to  com- 
plain for  want  of  farther  information,  unless  he  can  shew  his 
claim  to  it.  Some  have  endeavored  to  explain  the  efficacy  of 
what  Christ  has  done  and  sutiered  for  us,  beyond  what  the  Scrip- 
ture has  authorized  ;  others,  probably  because  they  could  not  ex- 
plain it,  have  been  for  taking  it  away,  and  confining  his  office  as 
Redeemer  of  the  world  to  his  instruction,  example,  and  govern- 
ment of  the  church,  6cc.  It  is  our  wisdom  thankfully  to  accept 
the  benefit,  by  performing  the  conditions  upon  which  it  is  offered 
on  our  part,  without  disputing  how  it  was  procured  on  His." — But- 
lei-^s  Analogy^  Part  2,  Chap.  5. 

"  The  constitution  of  the  world,  and  God's  natural  government 
over  it,  is  all  mystery ;  as  much  as  the  Christian  dispensation." — 
Ibid. 

"  Since  the  constitution  of  nature,  and  the  methods  and  designs 
of  Providence  in  the  government  of  the  world,  are  above  our  com- 
prehension, we  should  acquiesce  in  and  rest  satisfied  with  our 
ignorance,  turn  our  thoughts  from  that  which  is  above  and  beyond 
us,  and  apply  ourselves  to  that  which  is  level  to  our  capacities,! 
and  which  is  our  real  business  and  concern.  Knowledge  is  not 
our  proper  happiness.  Whoever  will,  in  the  least,  attend  to  the 
thing,  Avill  see,  that  it  is  the  gaining,  not  the  having  of  it,  which  is 
the  entertainment  of  the  mind.  Indeed,  if  the  proper  happiness  of 
man  consisted  in  knowledge,  considered  as  a  possession  or  trea- 
sure, men  who  are  possessed  of  the  largest  share  would  have  a 
very  ill  time  of  it ;  as  they  would  be  infinitely  more  sensible  than 
others  of  their  poverty  in  this  respect.  Thus  he  who  increases 
knowledge  would  eminently  increase  sorrow." — Butler's  Sermon 
on  the  Ignorance  of  Man. 

"  '  Who  is  ever  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us.'  Into  the  speculations  of  the  recent  commentators 
on  the  ideas  meant  to  be  expressed  by  these  phrases,  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary for  me  to  enter.  The  former  is  unquestionably  an  orien- 
tal metaphor,  meant  to  express  dignity  next  to  that  of  God  ;  and 
the  latter,  the  intercession  which  Jesus  Christ  makes  for  Chris- 
tians. Into  the  mode  in  which  this  is  done,  it  becomes  us  not  too 
curiously  to  pry.  Whether  the  intercession  is  continually  made, 
or  whether  it  can  be  necessary  to  be  continually  made,  we  know 
not ;  but  that  the  effect  of  this  intercession  on  the  part  of  Jesus 
Christ,  towards  God,  in  behalf  of  the  faithful,  is  perpetual,  we 
may  be  assured  from  the  words  of  our  apostle  himself,  '  seeing 
that  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us.'  "  Heb.  vii,  25. — 
Bloomfield'' s  Synopsis.     Rom.  viii,  34. 

"  Christ's  ascension  to  the  right  hand  of  God  is  marvellous ;  be- 

*  Nearly  the  whole. 

tThe  class  of  divines  to  which  this  learned  Prelate  belong?,  often  distinguish  the 
mysteries  of  Christianity  from  what  they  call  its  plain  and  practical  truths  j  by 
which  they,  in  general,  seem  chiefly  to  mean  those  which  refer  to  the  ordinary  duties 
of  moral  and  civil  life. 


TRINITY.  243 

cause  it  is  a  sure  token  that  heaven  is  a  certain  iSxed  place,  and 
not  a  mere  state.  That  bodily  presence  of  the  Savior  which  the 
apostles  handled,  is  not  here,  it  is  elsewhere,  it  is  in  heaven.  This 
contradicts  the  notions  of  cultivated  and  speculative  minds,  and 
humbles  the  reason.  Philosophy  considers  it  more  rational  to 
suppose,  that  Almighty  God,  as  being  a  spirit,  is  in  every  place, 
and  in  no  one  place  more  than  another.  It  would  teach,  if  it  dare, 
that  heaven  is  a  mere  state  of  blessedness  ;  but,  to  be  consistent, 
it  ought  to  go  on  to  deny,  with  the  ancient  heretics  referred  to  by 
St.  John,  that  '  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,'  and  maintain 
that  his  presence  on  earth  was  a  mere  vision  ;  for  certain  it  is,  he 
who  appeared  on  earth  went  up  from  the  earth,  and  a  cloud  re- 
ceived Him  out  of  His  apostles'  sight.  And  here,  again,  an  addi- 
tional difficulty  occurs,  on  minutely  considering  the  subject. 
Whither  did  He  go  ?  Beyond  the  sun  ?  Beyond  the  fixed  stars  ? 
Did  He  traverse  the  immeasurable  space  which  extends  beyond 
them  all  ?  Again,  what  is  meant  by  ascending  ?  Philosophers 
will  say,  there  is  no  difference  between  doicn  and  up  as  regards 
the  sky  ;  yet,  whatever  difficulties  the  word  may  occasion,  we  can 
hardly  take  upon  us  to  decide,  that  it  is  a  mere  popular  expression, 
consistently  with  the  reverence  due  to  the  sacred  record.  And 
thus  we  are  led  on  to  consider,  how  different  are  the  character  and 
effect  of  the  Scripture  notices  of  the  structure  of  the  physical 
world,  from  those  which  philosophers  deliver.  I  am  not  de- 
ciding whether  or  not  the  one  or  the  other  are  reconcileable  ;  I 
merely  say  their  respective  effect  is  different.  And  when  we  have 
deduced  what  we  deduce,  by  our  reason,  from  the  study  of  visible 
nature  ;  and  then  read  what  we  read  in  his  inspired  Word,  and 
find  the  two  apparently  discordant,  this  is  the  feeling  I  think  we 
ought  to  have  on  our  minds ;  not  an  impatience  to  do  what  is  be- 
yond our  powers,  &c.  &c I  will  but  remind   you,  on   this 

part  of  the  subject,  that  our  Lord  is  to  come  from  heaven  '  in  like 
manner  as  he  w^ent ; '  that  he  is  to  come  '  in  clouds ; '  that  '  every 
eye  shall  see  Him,  and  all  tribes  of  the  earth  wail  because  of 
Him.'  Attempt  to  solve  this  prediction  according  to  the  received 
theories  of  science,  and  you  will  discover  their  shallowness.  They 
are  unequal  to  the  depth  of  the  problem." —  Se7'mon  on  the  Feast 
of  Ascension,  hy  J.  H.  Newman,  Fellow  of  Oriel,  Vicar  of  St.  Mary 
the  Virgin,  Oxford. 

"  I  have  made  the  foregoing  remark,  in  order  to  impress  upon 
you  the  mystery  with  which  we  are  encompassed  all  about ;  such 
as  not  merely  to  attach  to  one  or  two  truths  of  religion,  but  ex- 
tending to  almost  every  sacred  fact,  and  to  every  action  of  our 
lives.  With  the  same  view,  let  me  observe  upon  the  doctrine 
which  accompanies  the  fact  of  the  ascension.  Christ,  we  are 
told,  has  gone  up  on  high,  '  to  present  himself  before  the  face  of 
God  for  us.'  He  has  '  entered  by  his  own  blood,  once  for  all, 
into  the  Holy  Place :  having  effected  eternal  Redemption'  —  'He 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  those  who  come  unto  God  by 
Him  ;  He  hath  a  priesthood  which  will  not  pass  from  Him.'  — 
''  We  have  such  an  High  Priest,  who  is  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the 


244  TRINITY. 

throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  Heavens,  a  Minister  of  the  sanctuary 
and  of  the  true  Tabernacle  ;  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man.' 
These,  and  similar  passages,  refer  us  to  the  riles  of  the  Jewish 
Law.  They  contain  notice  of  the  type  ;  but  what  is  the  Antitype? 
We  can  give  no  precise  account  of  it.  For  consider  ;  ichy  was  it 
that  Christ  ascended  on  high?  With  what  object  ?  What  is 
His  work?  What  is  the  meaning  of  his  interceding  for  us  in 
heaven  ?  We  know  that,  whatever  he  does,  it  is  the  gracious  re- 
ality of  the  Mosaic  figure.  The  High  Priest,  entering  with  the 
atoning  blood  into  the  Holiest,  was  a  representation  of  Christ's 
gracious  deed  in  our  behalf.  But  what  is  that  deed  ?  We  know 
what  the  shadow  is ;  what  is  the  substance  ?  The  death  of  Christ 
answers  to  the  Jewish  rite  of  Atonement ;  how  does  He  vouchsafe 
to  fulfil  the  rite  of  Intercession  ?  Instead  of  explaining,  Scripture 
does  but  continue  to  answer  us  in  the  language  of  the  type ;  even 
to  the  last,  it  veils  His  deeds  under  the  ancient  figure.  Shall  we, 
therefore,  explain  away  its  language  as  merely  figurative,  which 
(as  the  word  is  now  commonly  understood)  is  next  to  saying  it 
has  no  meaning  at  all  ?  Far  from  it.  Clouds  and  darkness  are 
round  about  him.  We  are  not  given  to  see  into  the  secret  shrine 
in  which  God  dwells.  Before  Him  stands  the  Seraphim,  veiling 
their  faces.  Christ  is  within  the  veil.  We  must  not  search  curi- 
ously what  is  His  present  oflfice  ;  what  is  meant  by  His  pleading 
His  sacrifice,  and  by  His  perpetual  Intercession  for  us.  And  since 
we  do  not  know,  we  will  studiously  keep  to  the  figure  given  us  in 
Scripture  ;  we  will  not  attempt  to  interpret  it,  or  change  the 
wording  of  it,  being  wise  above  what  is  -written.  We  will  not 
neglect  it,  because  we  do  not  understand  it.  We  will  hold  it  as  a 
Mystery,  or,  (what  was  anciently  called)  a  truth  sacramental;  that 
is,  a  high  invisible  grace  lodged  in  an  outward  form,  a  precious 
possession  to  be  piously  and  thankfully  guarded  for  the  sake  of  the 
heavenly  reality  contained  in  it.  Thus  much  we  see  in  it,  the 
pledge  of  a  doctrine  which  reason  cannot  understand  ;  viz.  of  the 
influence  of  the  prayer  of  faith  upon  the  divine  counsels.  The  In- 
tercessor directs,  or  stays,  the  hand  of  the  Unchangeable  and  Sov- 
ereign Governor  of  the  World ;  being  at  once  the  meritorious 
cause,  and  the  earnest  of  the  intercessory  power  of  his  brethren. 
'Christ  rose  again  for  our  justification,'  — '  The  effectual  fervent 
prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much,'  are  both  infinite  mercies 
and  deep  mysteries." —  Ihid. 

Thus  are  we  furnished  with  the  two  principal  kinds  of  theology 
which  have  prevailed  in  the  church ;  the  one  which  explains  the 
mysteries  of  Christian  doctrine,  the  other  which  leaves  them  un- 
explained, or  considers  them  inexplicable;  for  I  am  not  aware  of 
any  intermediate  system,  *  except  that  which  either  avoids  all 
reference  to  the  subject,  or  treats  of  it  as  little  as  possible.  In  the 
first  class  of  extracts,  under  the  divisions  o^  Dusk  and  Midnight, 
may  be  seen  an  illustration  of  the  desecration  of  Divine  Doctrine 

*  Though  Dr.  Pye  Smith  seems  to  be  at  a  loss  to  determine  the  exact  meaning  of 
the  word  intercede.^  he  does  not  appear,  on  the  whole,  to  deviate  much  from  the  or- 
dinary views. 


TRINITY.  245 

by  the  introduction  of  the  ideas  of  the  merely  natural  man.  This 
desecration  is  the  consequence  of  those  who  approach  Jehovah, 
^^not  taking  their  shoes  from  off  their  feet  ;^''  in  other  words,  accord- 
ing'to  Swedenborg's  comment,  ^''  not  divesting  their  minds  of  merely 
carnal  and  sensual  ideas.''''  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  last  class  of 
extracts  may  be  seen  the  confessed  darkness  in  which  the  mind  is 
left  upon  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel,  when  it  is  divested  of  the 
merely  natural  idea.  Both  are  a  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  of  the 
latter  days,  of  which,  we  are  told,  "  The  Sun  became  black  as 
sackcloth  ;"  by  which,  says  Victorinus,  is  meant,  "  The  splendor 
of  true  doctrine  uhU  be  hid  from  unbelievers.^^ — See  Adams  on  the 
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